Author 



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Title 



Iinprint 



16—47372-3 GPO 




l[)ancou\>cr 
ITelani).., 



AND ITS /VIISSIONS 



1874-1900 



REMINISCENCES 



-OF- 



THE REV, A, J, BRABANT 



.V3 B7 



' PREFACE. 

THESE reminiscences were not written for publication. I had kept a 
journal for my personal use — hcsc olim meminisse juvabit — and 
also for the benefit of priests who in the course of time would follow me 
in the same field of labor. As I was sent out by Bishop Christie, D.D. of 
the diocese of Vancouver Island, now Archbishop of Oregon, to take up a 
collection for the needs of our Indian work, the editor of the Messenger of 
the Sacred Heart proposed to publish the " Reminiscences,'' so as to 
attract the attention of his numerous readers and facilitate my work of 
collecting ; and as his proposition was accompanied by a generous remu- 
neration I succumbed to a very strong temptation. 

The reader will notice at once many defects and some misspelled 
Indian names of places with which the editor was naturally unfamiliar and 
which the writer had not a chance to correct in the proofs. The correct 
terms are printed below in a list of Errata. I hope to issue the " Remi- 
niscences " in a different form in the course of time, and also to add sev- 
eral chapters of ancient historical facts about this unknown coast and 
people. Meanwhile I send a copy of them as they now read to old and 
new friends. 

Those who have neither the taste nor leisure to read them ?>/ ex- 
tenso will please cast a glance at the closing chapter ; and after doing so 
will put their hands into their purse and send a contribution to the needs 
of our missionary labors. 

Thereby they will secure a share in our usual prayers and Holy 
Sacrifices for our benefactors and deserve the heartfelt thanks of their 
Humble Servant in Christ, 

(Revd.) A. J. Brabant, 

Hesquiat, B. C. 

West Coast Vancouver Island, Canada. 



ERRATA. 

Page I — For San Juan de Fuco, read Juan de P'uco. 

I — " there are, read there wert' absolutely no white settlers. 

1 — " except, read either on fool or horseback. 

2 — " Tragsota, read Kragsota. 

3 — " Nakoun, read Hakoom. 

4 — " McRay, read McKay. 
4 — " Kiristog, read Kwistog. 

4 — " Lany, read Lang. 

5 — " Clarkkouikose, read Clarkkonikose. 
z^ 20 — For " With Routl,'' read "Wish Koutl.'" 
6 — For Echo-chist, read Echa-chist. 
6, 14, 18 — For Opessat, read Opetsat. 
6 — For Sieka, read Tsieka. 
g — " Neiwhoi, read Heiwhoi. 

10, 16— For Newchaliots, read Newchalats. 

10 — For Ehettesat, read Ehattisat. 

12 — " Ochuklesat, read Ochuklisat. 

14 — " Egatisal, read Ehattisat. 

14, 16 — For Esik-ta-kis, read Tsik-ta-kis. 

16 — For Cah Sis, read Tah Sis. 

18 — " Mokivinna, read Mokwinna. 

20 — " Wannicanut, read Namucaniis. 

20 — " Wanaimo, read Nanaimo. 
21 83 — For Alberin, read Alhrrni. 
21 — For Cuglar, read Taylor. 

21 — " Iseshats, read Tseshats. 
23 — " Reast, read Keast. 
26, 31 — For Leflet, read Leplet. 
27 — For Meowchal, read Mowuchat. 
27 — " Ned Thornberg, read Fred Thornberg. 
27 — " Murray, read Marlin. 
^i--, " "Asatikis.' read " Tsalikis." 
42 — " St. Anthony, read St. .\nthonine. 
47^ 48 — For " oseniecli "' read " osemitch." 
47 — For " Wa-we-meme," read " Ha we-im.'' 
47 — " Kwa-yetsminii, read Kwa-yetsini. 
47— •' Kwaitliume, read Kwayetsim. 
4,S — " Wawitt-illsois, read Hawitl-illsois. 
4jS — " " Wakoni " read " Hakoom." 
59 — " r>jeklesat, read Chicklisat. 
59 — " mar, read way. 

59j 71— For " osenitcli." read "osemitch." 
66, 67, 75 — For "Chookwahu,"' read Tlokwahna. 
"^l— For leaking schooners, read sealing schooners. 



CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

The field of labor I 

First visit to the " West Coast " Indians 3 

Second visit 12 

First mission established at Hesquiat. — Wreck of the bark ^^'twm . . 21 

Incidents of missionary trip on the coast 23 

Smallpox in the village. — Burial of dead . 24 

Murderous attack of Matlahaw 26 

Would-be revenge on culprit by Indians 27 

News of attempt on life carried to Victoria. — Arrival of Bishop Seghers on a man-of-war 28 

A dead whale towed in .shore. — Mysterious powers of chief " Koninnah " and how obtained 32 

Incidents attending the birth of an Indian child ; names ;i;i 

The Indian feast " Potlach " ... 35 

First Catholic funeral 36 

Burying people alive . 38 

Ancient mode of removing the dead, crying, etc 39 

The suspicious conduct of a chief. 40 

Return of chief ''Townissim " from prison 42 

Blessing of church. — Making a canoe .... 42 

Salmon season and superstitions about salmon ... 43 

A ghost story and results of trip to his abode 43 

More trouble about the salmon and successful fishing 45 

Trip to Barclay Sound. — F'ear of reporters 47 

The superstitious practice " osemitch," with interesting details. — Eclipse. — Dreams ... 47 

Death of " Nitaska " and intrigues of " medicine women " . . 49 

Death attributed to howling of dog 5° 

Chief " Townissim's life in danger 5' 

Kyuquot Indians on war-path . . 5' 

Strange feelings of Indians " tempore" famine $1 

New mission built at " Namucamis, " Barclay Sound 52 

Extraordinary powers claimed by a juggler 55 

A pagan marriage, ceremonies, feasts 55 

Thunder and lightning 59 

Difficulties anent birth of first Christian child .... 60 

The Sorcerer (medicine man or woman) 61 

A new Sorcerer initiated 61 

Trouble about keeping Sunday ... 64 

Trip to Victoria, with interesting details. — Narrow escape from drowning • . 64 

Sacred blanket 66 

The festival " Tlokwahna " wolf feast ... 67 

Church built in Ahousat 68 

An old Indian house. —A case of twins. — A crazy man successfully treated 69 

An Indian Christian marriage 69 

Order issued to wear pants. — Seal hunting. — Rules observed 70 

.Sea-otter hunting 7' 

Wreck of bark Mallevillr, burial of dead 72 

Death of " Wewiks." — A bad case 76 

Confirmation administered by Archbishop Seghers 77 

Sickness and death of Indian children 78 

Murder committed by " Tsiniquah " 79 



PAGE 

Narrow escape of schooner Favorite, Capt. McLean 80 

Townissim dies. — Church built at Nootka 83 

Chief Antonin dies a Christian. — His house burned 84 

A whiskey case 84 

(Jdd conduct of young, dying men 84 

Intrusion of Protestant preachers 85 

Attempt to build an industrial school frustrated 86 

An unsuccessful physician. — Death of good woman 86 

Orders to build an industrial school for Indian children 87 

Conclusion 80 



VANCOUVER ISLAND AND ITS MISSIONS. 

1874-1900. 



REMINISCENCES OF THE REV. A. J. BRABANT. 



Illustrated i^ntli Photographs taken by the Author. 



The Field of Labor. 

ON the west coast of \'ancouver 
Island, between the entrance of 
the Strait of San Juan de Fuco and 
Cape Cook, there Uve eighteen differ- 
ent tribes of Indians, forming, as it were, 
only one nation, as they all speak the 
same language. Their manners, mode 
of living, in one word, all their habits 
are so much alike, that to know one 
tribe is to know them all. This coast, 
at the time of our taking possession of 
it, was exclusively inhabited by Indians. 

Four trading posts had, however, 
been established and were each in 
charge of one white man. But besides 
these four men there are absolutely no 
white settlers to be found on this exten- 
sive coast of nearly two hundred miles. 

I need hardly say that communication 
was very rare, for beyond a couple of 
small schooners, that made an occasional 
call on the coast for the purpose of sup- 
plying the stores with goods and pro- 
visions, and at the same time making a 
trading call at different tribes, no vessels 
frequented this part of the world. I 

■Copyrighted, 1900, by Apostleship of Prayer. 



have been as much as six months with- 
out seeing the face of a white man, and 
consequently speaking a civilized lan- 
guage. 

When the news of the death of Pius 
IX. reached me, Leo XIII. was already 
two months on the Papal throne. As 
a matter of fact, it was close on five 
months since I had received a news- 
paper, a letter, or a word of news of the 
civilized world. 

All the Indians of this mission live on 
the sea coast, and intercourse between 
the different tribes is impossible, except 
by means of canoes. No two tribes can 
visit each other, except on foot or horse- 
back, as their several residences are 
separated by inlets and arms of the 
ocean. As a rule the number of chances 
for visiting are limited, especially dur- 
ing the fall and winter season, for no 
canoe could live in the incessant, heavy 
weather and indescribable gales which 
rage on this open coast. When travelling 
I have been many a time compelled to 
camp and wait for days before being able 
to continue my journey, owing to the 
dangerous seas and heavy surf which 

I 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



would spring up without even an hour's 
notice. 

The coast is rugged and rocky, pre- 
senting in its entire extent the ap- 
pearance of desolation and barrenness. 
The hills and mountains run down to 
the beach ; the valleys are lakes, and 
a few patches of low land, to be encoun- 
tered here and there, are covered with 
worthless timber. No clear land is to 
be seen anywhere, and no hopes can be 
entertained that the west coast of Van- 
couver Island will ever be available for 
agricultural settlements. 

The climate is not very different from 
that of Victoria. The seasons of rain 
and fine weather are about equally 
divided ; the frost is not heavy, and snow 
seldom falls to any depth, and then lies 
on the ground only for a few days. 
With all this, the fall and winter months 
are dreary beyond expression. The In- 
dians seem not to notice the general de- 
pression of the seasons, but for one born 
and raised elsewhere, accustomed to the 
society of his fellow white men, there are 
no words to convey how monotonous it 
is, and how lonesome one would feel 
were it not for the thought of the sacred- 
ness of the object for which he is 
here. 

Nothing in the world could tempt me to 
come and spend my life here were it not 
that the inhabitants of these inhospitable 
shores have a claim on the charity and 
zeal of a Catholic priest. 

The question has often been asked : 
Was there ever a Catholic priest or were 
there Catholic missions established on 
the west coast before the existence of the 
present establishments ? 

My answer, which is in the affirmative, 
was not sought or found in books or 
records, but I got it from the Indians 
themselves. My first informant was an 
elderly man, not a chief, but one of those 
men of importance to be found in every 
tribe, whose chief pride seems to consist 
in watching all the important events of 
the day and in assisting the chiefs with 
their counsel and judgment. 



I found my informant (Tragsota) on 
an early summer morning sitting outside 
of his house in close conversation with 
his wife. As I passed by he hailed me 
and our conversation commenced. 

" Was there ever a priest in Nootka? " 
" Oh yes," he said, " at the time of 
the Spaniards there were two priests, 
big stout men, and they both were bald- 
headed. My grand-uncle, who told me 
this, used to come around to Friendly 
Cove, and the white men would keep 
Sunday. There was the Sunday-house" 
— pointing to a spot about the centre of 
the present village — "and they would go 
on their knees and cross themselves, and 
at the turn of the winter solstice they had 
a great Sunday and they had two babies 
— is not that what you now call Christ- 
mas? Oh yes, there were priests here, 
and all the men and women would have 
to bathe on Saturday and be ready for 
Sunday, and they learned songs — hymns 
— 1 know them yet." 

And the old man began to sing, but the 
only words I could catch were : Mi-Dios. 

It is evident from the above narrative 
that at the time of the occupation of 
Nootka by the Spaniards, towards the 
end of last century, the missionaries of 
South America belonging to the Fran- 
ciscan order, hence described by the 
Indian as being bald, evidently on ac- 
count of the tonsure, and as stout, big 
men because they appeared such in their 
heavy Franciscan cloaks, were stationed 
at Nootka for the accommodation of the 
Kuropeans and also to a certain extent 
for the conversion of the natives. 

The old man had much more to say 
about the presence of the Spaniards in 
Nootka. One of the men was in charge 
of the cattle, which he would bring 
home every day ; which, of course, 
argues the presence of those useful 
domestic animals on this coast before 
there were any in other parts of the 
island. He also showed us the spot 
where the blacksmiths and carpenters had 
their shops, and gave many other details, 
which proves that events of importance 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



are not so soon forgotten by Indians, in 
general, as white men unacquainted with 
them would imagine. 

I have not noticed any traces of re- 
ligious practices inaugurated by Cath- 
olic Spaniards. However, it has struck 
me as probable that the great devotion of 
the Spaniards to the Blessed Virgin Mary 
and especially that of Catholic sailors, 
may have been the source of an invocation 
frequently uttered by Indians during bad 
weather or in danger at sea. Many a 
time I have heard them sing out in quick 
succession: " Chou-chist Nakowm," 
"Chou-chist Na- 
kowm," "Queen, 
let the sea be 
quiet" (bis). 
And many a time 
I have heard 
them speak of a 
"queen" un- 
known to them, 
but living in or 
beyond the seas. 

Ihave also 
been inclined to 
believe that the 
practice of keep- 
ing Christmas and 
having the Christ- 
mas holidays may 
account for the 
Indians' yet hav- 
ing recourse at 
that special time 
to their devotion- 
al practices. It used to be of the great- 
est importance to watch and observe the 
solstice of the sun about Christmas time. 
The old men of the tribe would rise early 
on those days and in bunches would retire 
to different spots. Each one had his mark 
or signs — there he would sit, all attention, 
and soon as the sun rose out of the sea 
he would take his bearings and accord- 
ing to the fact that the sun rose at or be- 
yond such a certain mark he would con- 
clude that the sun was at its solstice, not 
yet at it, or perhaps beyond it. 

The event caused an amount of gen- 




eral interest, it was the talk at meals and 
the great topic of conversation with the 
Indians of every tribe. According to 
the old men the want of attention, or the 
neglect of watching this all- important 
event, would be followed by all kinds of 
misfortunes, not excluding famine. The 
arrival of this period was the signal for 
the preaching of the old people [to their 
young men to go out and practice their 
superstitious devotions. 

Beyond these indifferent signs of re- 
Hgious practices which may have had 
their origin at the time ot the settlement 
by the Spaniards- 
at Nootka, I have 
never been able 
to detect anything 
but that the In- 
dians at the time 
of our arrival here 
were addicted al- 
most beyond re- 
demption to every 
description of pa- 
gan practices. 
Missions 
mUlJj^^ / Established. 
^^"^^^^^^Z Visit to the 
^^m/ west coast in- 

^KKr DIANS IN 1874 

^W BY RIGHT REV. 

CHARLES J. SEG- 
HERS, D.D., AC- 
COMPANIED BY 

«KAHANT. ^E^- ^ J- J^J^A- 

BANT. 

We left Victoria on Whit- Sunday at 8 
o'clock in the morning on the schooner 
Surprise, twenty-eight tons, belonging to 
Capt. W. Spring & Co. 

Capt. Peter Francis was in command. 
John Peterson, a Swede, was mate, and 
the rest of the crew was a Kyuquot 
Indian called Nomucos, acting as cook, 
sailor and boatswain, and Chegchiepe, a 
Mowuchat savage, assistant sailor. Mr. 
John McDowell was a passenger, and was 
on his way to fix the machinery of the 
light-house just then estabhshed on'Cape 
Beale, Barclay Sound. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



We left Victoria harbor with a strong 
southeasterly wind, and were at Race 
Rocks before lo o'clock a.m. Heie the 
wind failed and our schooner began to 
drift about, and working with the oars 
was required to keep her off the Rocks. 
However, we got safely at anchor about 
2 o'clock in Beeche Bay, where we went 
on shore and visited the Indians, from 
whom we received a good reception. 
After an address, made by His Lordship. 
I baptized two of their infant children. 
April 13. — Next morning we weighed 
anchor. Sailed out a short distance, 
but the wind failing us again, we managed 
to return to our anchorage to make a 
new start about 8 a. m. Once more the 
breeze dropped, and by this time we be- 
gan to drift with the tide till we got half 
way between Race Rocks and Port An- 
gelos. Our captain was now so badly 
intoxicated that upon His Lordship's, with 
a view to trying the old man, asking him 
the direction of Cape Flattery, he pointed 
to us the opening between San Juan 
Island and Trial Island. 2 v. m., south- 
erly wind; lost sight of \'it'toria at 3.30 
p. M. 

April 14. — Rain; no wind; 7.30 a.m., 
southwest by south. Enter San Juan 
harbor at 3.30 p. m. and cast anchor 
outside of the reef at 3.30. 

The schooner Favorite, Captain Mc- 
Ray, and the schooner A/e/f, Captain J. 
Christianson, were here at anchor, and 
were making preparations to go out seal- 
ing next morning with a crew of Nitinat 
and Pachena Indians. 

April 15. — We went on shore about 
7 a. m. The Indians were sitting out- 
side. They were startled to see us in 
our cassocks, to them an unusual kind of 
garment. The Bishop asked to see their 
chief and was soon shown into the pres- 
ence of a fine looking man — Kiristog — 
who, as we noticed at once, was then 
leading the life of a bigamist. His Lord- 
ship asked the chief's consent to assem- 
ble the natives of that locality and he at 
once consented. Here I was suddenly 
compelled to make room for a blind 



horse, which was led into the house by a 
young Indian and was then, as we no- 
ticed, stabled in the chief's house. 

The Indians withal behaved very well 
and, upon allowing us to baptize their 
children, requested as a favor that we 
continue to look after them. The num- 
ber of baptisms was forty-three. 

The captains of the sealing vessels 
were most impatient to take the Indians 
out, but they were told that if the priests 
wanted the Indians to stay on shore 
three days they should have the privi- 
lege ; which news was to them a caution 
to keep their temper. However, we 
left the Indians at 2 p. m.; we went on 
board of the Surprise ; they in their 
turn went on board of their respective 
vessels. 

The wind was blowing from the west 
and blew up into San Juan harbor. The 
vessels weighed their anchors about the 
same time, had up sails and were ready 
for a start in unusually quick time. And 
now the race began. Our skipper was 
about sober and did his best to win, but 
the Favorite got ahead of him and be- 
fore long the Alert went first and kept 
ahead of her friends. The race was fairly 
conducted and was a very pleasant 
episode of our western trip. 

April 16. — No wind. Caught a breeze 
at 12 o'clock. Entered Dodger Cove 
at I p. M. The chief was living 
alone on Mission Island (Diana). Two 
canoes full of Indians came over from 
Keehan, but were told to go back till 
next morning, which they did with con- 
siderable reluctance. The Indians 
looked well, a line, healthy set. They 
wore blankets, no pants ; had their 
hair nicely done up and tied with 
grass in a bunch over the forehead. 
jNIost of them had their faces painted, 
and the crowd that came on the schooner 
presented a very picturesque sight. 

April 17. — Said Mass in the house of 
Mr. Andrew Lany, the storekeeper, at 5 
A. M. The chief was already there ad- 
dressing his Indians from the other side 
of the stream, exhorting them to rise. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



wash and clean themselves and children, 
announcing to them our wish to see them 
and telling them that great things were 
in store for them. 

The Indians arrived from Keehan and 
other camping places and assembled at 
8 o'clock in the house of an Indian 
called "Jenkins," the chief having no 
house large enough at this place to con- 
tain all his people. The savages paid 
great attention to the Bishop's instruc- 
tion given in Chinook and interpreted 
into the Indian language by " Harry" 
and his brother "Jenkins." 



kose, A'illage Island, Barclay Sound, 
where we passed a very comfortable 
night in smooth water. 

April 1 8. — Up and away at 5 a. m. 
Rain, heavy sea. We arrived at 9 a. m. 
at Ucluliat, where the Indians were 
expecting us. The chief came at once 
for us in his canoe and upon nearing the 
camp one of the Indians fired off his 
gun to announce to the Indians that we 
were on board ; whereupon all the tribe 
turned out at once and assembled in the 
new, unfinished house of young "With 
Routl," the chief of the Ucluliats. 




CAI'TAIN, iiFKICJiRS AND SAILORS ( iF H. M. S. liDXER. — NOi )TKA INDIANS. 



In this and in every tribe on the 
coast instruction was begun by stating 
who we were, what was our object ; then 
followed a history of the creation, the fall 
of man, the deluge, the multiplication of 
languages, the redemption of mankind ; 
after which, if agreeable to the natives, 
baptism was administered to their little 
children. And, if time was left, a few 
hymns and songs were taught. But in 
all cases the teaching of the Sign of the 
Cross and the making of that sign by the 
Indians was the great thing and caused 
real excitement. We had in this camp 
eighty baptisms of young children. 

We left at 6 o'clock in the evening 
and went to our anchor at Clarkkoui- 



Our arrival caused a deal of excitement. 
Our interpreter had a thundering voice, 
but we were told he did not translate 
His Lordship's words with much correct- 
ness. Perhaps he thought that shout- 
ing would have the necessary effect. I 
baptized seventy-five children in the 
afternoon. 

April 19. — Sunday morning: Mass 
at 5. 30 in the storekeeper's house and 
then at 8 a. m. off to the ranch. The 
Clayoquot Indians came over to join the 
Ucluliats and their nine children re- 
ceived baptism. Here the first effort 
was made to translate the sign of the 
Cross into the Indian language. 

April 20. — At sunrise we were already 



\ ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



at sea and beating against a strong west- 
erly wind, but we did not reach Clayoquot 
till April 2 1, at 9 a. m. Sitakenin and 
half a dozen of his Indians came out to 
meet us at sea. We went on board of 
his canoe and he took us to the chief's 
house, where two new Indian mats were 
laid on the floor, forming a path to the 
end of the lodge, where boxes and trunks 
covered with line mats were prepared to 
be used by us as seats and footstools. 
His Lordship addressed the Indians on 
the usual topics, then I baptized ninety- 
three children, after which we went to 
our schooner which was at anchor off 
Captain Stubb's Island, Warren's store 
(Chut-chut tuts). 

April 2 2. — We went early in the 
morning to the camp (Echo-chist), Vil- 
lage Island, where we had met the In- 
dians the day before. Strange to say, 
the Indians seemed quite indifferent and 
His Lordship concluded to leave them, 
not, however, before giving them a good 
scolding. Then we went to the schooner 
about noon and preparations were at 
once made to continue our voyage. Af- 
ter sailing a short distance we got on the 
sand bank off "Opessat," but as the 
tide was rising, we got oft' about 1.30 
p. M. Then with a light breeze we took 
the direction of "Ahousat, " but about 
3 p. M. we saw a canoe in the distance. 
The Clayoquot chief and six young men! 
They wanted us to return. The Bishop 
at first refused, but their request was so 
earnest and their promise of taking us 
to Ahousat the next day so favorable, 
that His Lordship at last concluded to 
return. The Indians who came to fetch 
us had only just then arrived in the 
schooner from Ucluliat, where they had 
seen us for a few minutes two days 
previously. They had tried to meet us 
at their own home, but were doubly dis- 
appointed to find us gone and to hear 
that their friends had not shown more 
zeal and had failed to learn the canticles 
and songs now repeated by every tribe 
which we had visited. 

At 6 p. M. we were at work again at 



" Kcho-chist, " and we were happy that at 
10.30 1'. M. the Indians at last allowed us 
to lie down and take some rest. This was 
my first night in an Indian camp ; and in 
the morning my memory was clear on all 
the events of that night. I had heard the 
crying of Indian children, and the coax- 
ing and singing of their mothers to get 
them to sleep again. An old couple had 
a row in the middle of the night ; over 
a dozen big dogs, supposed to sleep, 
were constantly awake, growled, barked, 
fought, yelled, ran in and out of the 
dwelling, got in trouble with the cats, 
and would not stop their uproar, except 
after twenty times "Sieka," uttered by 
a sleepless savage, followed by a piece of 
fire-wood, again accompanied by a new 
yelling and barking. Over half a dozen 
roosters were sleeping on the loft cross- 
piece of the house, and, with their usual 
pride, as if they were making daylight 
come and the sun rise, would stop their 
crowing chorus, only to recommence 
again a few minutes later. All this time 
the Bishop thought I was fast asleep 
alongside of him under one blanket, but 
I knew that he was not, for he was con- 
tinually turning about. Now and then 
he would give a quick but well deter- 
mined scratch on his lower limbs, and in 
the morning he told me that all the cause 
of his troubles had been the Indian's 
friends the " fleas.' ' 

April 23. — .At 5.30 our Indian crew 
was ready ; six stalwart young men, 
headed by the chief of the tribe. It was 
a beautiful morning, the sun rising in all 
his glory. The Indians struck up our 
songs and paddled with courage and hap- 
piness over the calm waters of Clayoijuot 
Sound. 

At I o'clock we arrived at the foot of 
the Catface mountains. Here was the 
Ahousat tribe, in expectation of our 
coming, increased by the arrival of all the 
Keltsemats, ready and prepared to receive 
us. Four Indians stood on the beach, 
and were a deputation sent by the Indi- 
ans, who were already in the chiefs 
house, to show us into the lodge. Mats 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 




INDIANS SLAUGHTERING A WILD OX ON SEASHORE. 



formed a pathway 
from the water to 
the camp, and, in- 
side, mats and 
sails were hang- 
ing about along 
the walls, whilst 
the floor was cov- 
ered with more 
mats ; and a reg- 
ular throne was 
formed, with box- 
es and trunks, 
nl c e 1 y covered 
over ; and to this 
place we were 
shown by the 
members of the 

deputation. A dead silence reigned in making till His Lordship stepped forward 
the house, but we could well notice on the very spot where every speaker had 
that we were in the presence of real come to address us, and thus blocked the 
savages. We were astonished that no way, saying that he knew by what he had 
dogs,such a nuisance about Indian camps, heard the tom-tom of the whole tribe, 
were to be noticed, but we were next in- We left the Ahousats April 24, at 4.30 
formed that already the day previous, a. m. A good easterly wind was blow- 
and early in the morning, canoe loads of ing, and the captain concluded to run 
the canine soecies had been taken across for Kyuquot and call at the other tribes 
the sound and safely landed on the on our way back So we did, and ar- 
islands opposite, lest they should be a rived at the Kyuquot camp shortly after 
cause of displeasure to us. 3 p. m. 

After the usual instructions, I admin- Here not an Indian could be seen on 
istered baptism to one hundred and the bay, nor, in fact, outside of the 
thirty-five little children. camp. It was pronounced an unusual 

The afternoon was spent in teaching thing, as the captain stated that these 
songs and the Sign of the Cross. Such Indians used to meet him out at sea and 
was the zeal of these Indians that, when literally crowd the deck of his schooner 
we went on board of the schooner to on any other occasion. Nomucos, our 
take our meals, they would stay in the Kyuquot cook, was also at a loss to ex- 
house, and hardly leave us time to finish, plain, and his shouting and caUing for 
but wanted us to recommence our work the Indians had no effect. However, 
at once. at last a small canoe was launched at 

In the evening we were requested to " Akties," two Indians got into her and 
listen to what they had to say to us. The paddled quickly towards the spot where 
speeches began by those of the two head we were at anchor. Every little while 
chiefs, followed by other chiefs, chiefly they would stop and listen to the shout- 
women ; and one fellow got up, took his ing of our Indians. " We are afraid," 
blanket,his only covering, from his shoul- was the first sentence we could hear 
ders, and after showing it to us, he threw them utter. Our savages reassured them 
it with an emphatic gesture far away from and when at last they got on board they 
him, saying that " he threw away his bad explained the whole mystery. They 
heart." Nothing could stop the speech- had heard of our arrival, but the story 



\^ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



got mixed up. On board the schooner 
was a hving man who would cut the 
children on the chest, and another who 
would rub something over the wound 
and it would be healed. Then the first 
man would begin killing the Indians, and 
upon the Indians' trying to kill him, he 
would turn into a stone or become a 
stone man. This and other tales were 
told as an explanation of the conduct of 
the Kyuquots on this occas'ion. The 
Kyuquots are the largest tribe on the 
coast, in all about eight hundred In- 
dians. 

April 26. — Baptized one hundred and 
seventy-seven children. I commenced 
at 9 o'clock in the morning and it was 5 
o'clock in the afternoon when I got 
through. 

April 27. — Frightful storm at sea — 
could not go on shore all day. 

April 28. — Began to teach the " Our 
Father" and " Hail Mary" which the 
Bishop had translated, with the assist- 
ance of Capt. P. Francis, of the S//r- 
prise, and an Indian interpreter. 

.\t I p. M. we were taken from the 
Si/rf>fise in an Indian canoe, as we 
had made arrangements to go with some 
Kyuquot Indians and visit the Chicklisat 
tribe. 

The chief, a cripple, seemed to have 
great authority, but, being himself unable 
to go with us, sent his son with fifteen 
young men to take us to our destination. 
No sooner had we stepped into our 
canoe than two more canoes were put 
afloat, manned, the first by fifteen young 
men, the subjects of the queen, and the 
other by twelve savages belonging to the 
other head chiefs. And thus we left 
Kyuquot in the young chief's canoe, on 
either side of which a canoe of the other 
chiefs was paddled to the air of one of 
the hymns they had recently learned. 

The sea was very rough, but after 
three hours of hard working by the In- 
dians we at last saw the smoke of the 
ChickHsat camp at Kiko-os. As we 
approached, our Indians drew together 
and once more intoned some of our 



Catholic hymns. The Chicklisats came 
rushing out of their houses, and seemed 
stupefied, but did not come down to the 
beach till they were called upon to do so. 
It took them a long time to assemble in 
the chief's house, and when addressed 
by His Lordship, although seemingly 
attentive, it was quite evident that every- 
thing was not "all right." The eve- 
ning and darkness soon put a stop to our 
work, then we began to look for room to 
sleep. It was simply horrible I The 
filth, dirt and uncleanness of these In- 
dians both in the house and outside can- 
not be imagined. However, we sub- 
mitted to circumstances, such as they 
were, and lay down alongside of each 
other, impatiently awaiting the return of 
daylight. It arrived at last, and I was 
amused when asked by His Lordship to 
express my opinion of the beauty of the 
words and music of a song which he had 
composed during the night. It struck 
me that, unable to sleep, he must have 
tried to while away the long hours of a 
sleepless night in a musical way. The 
Kyuquots, forty three in number, who 
had constituted our escort, having no- 
ticed that there was something wrong in 
the reception extended to us by the 
Chicklisats, had made it a point of duty 
to sleep in the same house where we 
were sleeping, and in the morning we 
found them all lying around and about 
us. 

April 29 — Early in the morning we 
assembled the Indians and began anew 
to instruct them. \\'e baptized forty- 
six children, and when this was done, 
our Kyuquot interpreter refused to inter- 
pret, and gave lor his reason that the 
Chicklisats were mocking and insulting 
him. We would have left at once, but 
the sea was bad and the rain fell in tor- 
rents. Being compelled to stay, we be- 
gan the recitation of our ofifice and then 
went outside in the bush under the shel- 
ter of a large tree. Here, after some time, 
an Indian found us enjoying the fresh 
air and summoned us to go back to the 
camp. We pretended not to understand, 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



but at last His Lordship concluded 
to follow the savage and so we re- 
entered the chiefs lodge. It was quite 
a sight. To the western side of the 
camp sat the chief in a very promi- 
nent place, and on each side sat an 
elderly man holding in his hand a long 
rod, which seemed to us to be a mark 
of authority. Everything was still, the 
men on our side, the women and 
children on the other. A seat was 
shown and given to us on the right 
side of the chief, where we were re- 
quested to continue our instructions. 
But none of the young men could in- 
terpret and not one of our Kyuquots 
was about, nor, in fact, could be 
gotten. This seemed very strange, 
but the following explanation was aft- 
erward given : For years the Chickli- 
sats and the Kyuquots had been at 
war or giving annoyance to each other. 
The Chicklisats on this occasion did 
not relish the presence of the Kyu- 
(juots. One of them had invited them 
to go and eat in his house to get them 
out of the way ; then he had quickly 
locked up the house, and when the 
Kyuquots wanted to go and join us they 
found the entrance of the lodge locked 
up fast. Great was their indignation 
when at last they came back in our pres- 
ence. Angry words, speeches and ges- 
ticulations were the order of the hour. 

April 30. — They left the Chicklisats 
next day, as happy as we ourselves to 
return to their own tribe. We arrived 
in Kyuquot in due time and May i, 
next morning, we had the happiness of 
offering up the holy sacrifice of the Mass 
in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, put- 
ting our new mission under her special 
protection. 

His Lordship having noticed the good 
dispositions of the Kyuquots, had, be- 
fore going to Chicklisat, asked the cap- 
tain of the Surprise to make a large mis- 
sion cross, which we found ready upon our 
arrival. The cross was twenty-four feet 
long, with the cross-piece in proportion. 
It was the work of not only the captain, 




AN 01. 1> MEDICINE WOMAN. 

but Peterson, the mate, a Swedish Luth- 
eran, had also, as well as a number of 
Indians given their assistance. 

Before proceeding to plant it, we were 
called to the house of the chief, where 
we found all the men of the tribe as- 
sembled. After asking our permission, 
they began to sing some of their savage 
songs with great solemnity ; then they 
showed us a mask, the handiwork of 
northern Indians, most ingeniously made, 
as also a piece of glass (heina), to which 
they seemed to attach unusual import- 
ance ; as well as a number of beads (Nei- 
whoi), held in great esteem by all the 
Indians on this coast, and sold by one 
tribe to another at the most exorbitant 
prices. After a speech from His Lordship, 
condemning all Indian superstitions in 
general, several important men got up 
and promised to go by our instructions. 

After this we proceeded to the blessing 
of the cross. It was placed on three 
canoes ; about fifty young men took 



lO 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



charge, and an immense number ot In- 
dians followed us in canoes to the foot of 
a small island opposite the shore, then 
unoccupied and seemingly abandoned. 
And there it now stands in sight of the 
tribe, blessed by His Lordship according 
to the ritual. It was beautiful to see the 
Indians struggle to carry the heavy bur- 
den, preceded by His Lordship, in sur- 
plice and stole, with his assistant also in 
surplice; and then, when it was raised, 
fifty muskets were fired off. as if to an- 
nounce a great triumph to the savages on 
the Kyuquot Islands. 

We finished our work in Kyuquot and, 
with great hopes and expectations con- 
cerning the future conversion of this 
large tribe, we left on May 2, taking the 
direction of Quatsino Sound. However, 
the wind was contrary, and His Lordship 
came to the conclusion, after consulting 
the captain, to abandon his trip to (Quat- 
sino Sound; and thus we sailed before 
the wind, and arrived that evening at an 
anchorage in Ksperanza Inlet, before the 
camp of the Newchaliot Indians. 

May 3. — Early this morning we were 
taken in a canoe, by the chief of the 
Newchaliots and a crew of young men, 
to the outside camp, where the Indians 
were at this time living. 

The reception given to us by the New- 
chaliots was something never to be for- 
gotten. The news of our arrival had 
here preceded us. The chief had made 
a new house. A wharf about two hun- 
dred feet in length, but only about four 
feet in breadth, had been constructed; 
and, although the Indians deserved 
credit for making such extraordinary 
preparations, we had to measure our 
steps and movements, lest the whole 
structure should break down. Inside of 
the chief's house the ground was covered 
with white sand, and our path and the 
room which we were to occupy was laid 
with new mats; the walls were hung 
with sails of canoes and pieces of calico. 
Twenty-nine sea otter skins, valued by 
Captain Francis, of the Surprise, at 
close to two thousand dollars, were hang- 



ing in a line opposite to where wc were 
sitting, and excited our admiration. 

The Ehettesat Indians had come across 
and joined the Newchaliots. We bap- 
tized the children of the two tribes, 
sixty- eight in all. In the afternoon a 
disturbance between the two tribes took 
place ; our interpreter was of little ac- 
count, and our success was not in keep- 
ing with the great preparations they had 
made to receive us. However, before we 
left, harmony had been restored ; the 
Ehettesats went home, and we returned 
to the Surprise, where we remained 
until May 4, when, at 1.15, a slight 
breeze sprung up, and we slowly sailed up 
Esperanza Inlet ; by dark we were near 
the Nootka Straits, and we fastened the 
schooner with a rope to a tree alongside 
immense bluffs of perpendicular rocks, 
where we passed the night. Another 
night was passed before we got to the 
Nootka side, part of the day having been 
spent by the captain and his passengers 
in fishing for rock cod. 

May 6. — After pulling up the oars and 
dragging the schooner alongside of the 
rocks for a considerable time, we at last 
got through the narrows. This morning 
we had a strong land breeze which took 
us to Bhgh Island, then beat against the 
breeze from Machelat Inlet, and later 
the westerly wind came to our assistance 
and we arrived at the Machelat vil- 
lage (ow-is) at half- past twelve p. af. 

Here, also, great preparations had 
been made, and an Ahousat Indian, 
Muggins by name, was there with Mach- 
elat young men to take us on shore 
from the schooner. This Indian had 
profited by our instructions to his own 
tribe, and upon the request ot the 
Machelats had taught them the Sign of 
the Cross and some of our hymns. The 
Machelat Indians brought their children 
and had them baptized ; their number 
was eighteen. 

May 7, was spent with the Indians, 
the captain in the intervals of his trading 
filling his schooner literally up with deer 
and elk skins. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



II 




I. A YOUNG WIDOW AND HER CHILD.— 2. VOrM; MOTHKK, HUCIGING HI- R CHIID. — 3. AN 

INDIAN INFANT HELD BY HIS SISTER. — 4. MOTHER AND TWO CHILDREN.— 5. A GOOD- 
NATURED MACHELAT MOTHER WITH HER KIRST-BORN. 



12 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



May 8. — We started this morning at 
4 o'clock with a northerly breeze and 
cast anchor at 10.30 a. m. in Friendly 
Cove. 

Here we met a large tribe of Indians, 
very noisy and disorderly compared with 
other tribes. We succeeded in doing very 
little beyond baptizing the children--fifty- 
six--a very small number, considering that 
the tribe did not number less than five 
hundred Indians. We understood the 
cause of the dispositions of the Indians 
to be the talk against the priests by Fort 
Rupert women who were living here, and 
by a few Indians who had been slaves or 
had resided at the other side of the 
island. However, we stayed another 
day and left May 10, when, after sailing 
before a westerly wind, we arrived in 
Hesqucit shortly before noon. Here 
we learned that the Indians expecting 
our coming were afraid to go out fishing 
for several weeks past. They had cleaned 
and laid mats in the chiefs house — 
they were very neatly dressed, the women 
all in white calico, the men having made 
pants and coats of blankets. We bap- 
tized their children — fifty-six — under 
seven years, and gave them the usual 
instructions. 

May II. — We rose at an early hour 
and recommenced our instructions, but 
by this time the captain was anxious to 
return to town as soon as possible, and 
at II o'clock his sails were up as a sign 
that we were wanted on board. The 
Indians seemed very sorry and disap- 
pointed, but we left, promising to visit 
them again in the near future. 

May 12. — When off Clayoquot Sound 
nine Kyuc^uot canoes, seventy-three 
men and one woman, overtook us. Our 
visit over the coast had taken away all 
fear. Only two or three of the crowd 
had ever been to Victoria, and none in 
an Indian canoe, as doing so would have 
exposed them to the danger of being 
killed or of being made slaves by hostile 
tribes. 

May 13. — We arrived in Dodger 
Cove. There was no wind and this 



gave us a chance to go and visit the 
Ochuklesat Indians. The chief was 
alongside of the schooner and took us to 
his camp, where he assembled the Indians 
whose children were baptized, twenty- 
three in number. That evening he took 
us back to Dodger Cove, where we ar- 
rived at II p. M., every one being in 
bed. We had no supper, as everybody 
seemed or pretended to sleep, and we 
turned in with the happy thought that 
our work was over. 

May 14. — We said Mass at the store- 
keeper's house at 5 a. m., then went on 
board and left the cove sometime before 
noon. This was the feast of the Ascen- 
sion. 

May 15. — We ran before a fine 
westerly wind and arrived in Victoria at 

S p. M. 

Second visit to the west coast In- 
dians IN 1874 BY THE RIGHT REV. 
BISHOP SEGHERS, D. D. , AND REV. A. J. 
BRABANT. 

The day of our departure was the first 
of September. Two days before. Captain 
Francis had been married in St. Andrew's 
Cathedral by Rev. Father Brabant to 
Caicilia, a half breed girl, the niece of 
Mrs. Lequier. The effects of the feast 
were visible on the skipper's counte- 
nance and in his manners. As a first 
mishap, the man who was to act as mate 
did not turn up at the hour agreed upon 
by the captain ; however, after a run on 
shore by one of the boys, we saw him at 
last, and upon crawling on board he 
mentioned that the cause of the delay 
was that his concubine, a Hydah woman, 
had run away. This our mate was a 
Greek, and also rejoiced in the name of 
Frank. Thus, with two Franks and two 
Indians from the coast, and as we dis- 
covered afterwards, with plenty of whis- 
key on board, we started on our second 
visit to our West Coast Indians. 

The first few hours were spent pleas- 
antly, but when we got to the straits our 
skipper began to make frequent calls 
down in the cabin. At last we discovered 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



^3 



that he was get- 
ting very drunk. 
This rather 
alarmed us, as 
Frank, our Greek 
mate, had never 
been on the coast 
and our Indian 
sailors could not 
be relied upon. 
His Lordship ad- 
vised me to try 
and find out 
where the captain 
kept his liquor 
and throw it 
overboard. 

Meanwhile 
Frank, the Greek, 
came down and 
told us that he 
had taken charge 
of and hidden 
all the liquor on 
board. It was 
now great fun to 
watch the skip- 
per. He went 
downstairs on his 
old errand; he 
pretended to 
whistle so as to 

be unnoticed; then he looked up the ing sober when we entered Pachena Bay. 
staircase, then made for the locker, but The wind was blowing fresh from the 
nothing there ! Where could the liquor west when we entered the harbor. Our 
be ? He did not say a word about it. schooner was supposed to go up the 
Meanwhile he silently cursed at his river to discharge at the store kept by 
clerical passengers and told the mate Neils Moos. We were going full speed 
of it ; then he begged him for a little when she suddenly struck on the sand 
drink. It was refused at first ; later on bank ; the channel had shifted, or rather 
something was given him now and our captain was out of his reckonings 
then to sober him up. All this time through whiskey ! Every wave took her 
the old man was growling at us and up higher and higher. A few more 
blaming us for taking his favorite bev- dashes and she was gone. But Neils 
erage, and never suspected for a mo- Moos coming on board saved her from 
ment that the liquor which was gi'sen to ruin. We took charge without heeding 
sober him up was his own property, our drunken skipper, and an hour later 
very properly taken away from him by she was at anchor before Capt. Spring iS: 
the mate. Co. 's store. 

Although the measure adopted had Nothing of much consequence oc- 
the effect of keeping the old man from curred, but when we left for Barclay 
greater excess, still he was far from be- Sound we met at the mouth of San 




INDIAN WARRIOR S1N(;ING SONi; OF VICTORY AFTER KILLIN(; A 

MAN. 2. IN THE ACT OF KILLING IN A BUSH A CONVERTED 

INDIAN POSED FOR THESE PHASES OF HIS FORMER LIFE. 



14 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



]iian harbor a canoe Irom Victoria with 
a supply of whiskey. l>y and by we saw 
H. M. S. Boxer come out of Neah 
Bay and steam for the Pachena Camp. 
Dr. Powell, Superintendent of Indian 
Affairs, was on board, and this was his 
first trip along the coast. When he 
landed at the ranch he found every man, 
save the chief, beastly drunk. 

We got in Barclay Sound on the 7th 
of September; the Ohiat Indians had 
moved up the Sound ; and after dis- 
charging freight at the store in Dodger 
Cove we continued our journey to 
Ucluliat. 

Here the schooner Surprise was to 
stop and we were to continue on our 
trip in our Indian canoe. Consequently 
Capt. Francis gave us as pilots two 
Kyu([uot Indians, who had been engaged 
as deck-hands on the Smprise, and also 
a good sealing canoe, besides lots of 
provisions. 

We bade him and his young wife good- 
bye and a happy honeymoon on the 8th 
of September; at 7 o'clock. And now 
we were on the o\)*t\\ ocean in a small 
sealing canoe with two Kyucjuot and 
one Egatisal Indian. The sea was 
heavy and no wind. An occasional 
wave broke over our bows and did con- 
siderable damage to our stock of pro- 
visions, especially to our biscuits and our 
sack of flour. 

Without further mishap we arrived at 
''Opessat," Clayocjuot Sound, at al)Out 
2 o'clock v. -M., where we found the In- 
dians very much excited over the news 
that a man-of-war was anchored to the 
leeward of Vargas Island with the Super- 
intendent of Indian Affairs on board. 
We continued our voyage, and about 4 
o'clock p. M. we saw H. M. S. Boxer s.t 
anchor at the above-named place. All 
this time we had not a breath of wind, 
but our Indians kept on paddhng and 
we went at last on shore on Flores 
Island, just opposite one of the Ahousat 
villages called Esik-ta-kis. 

It was not a good camping place, and 
the hour being rather late and the night 
dark, we felt compelled to stretch our 



weary limbs without even taking a warm 
drink of tea. ^\^e were enjoying our 
sleep as best we could when all of a sud- 
den, some time after midnight, an 
Ahousat Indian came to wake us up. 
He was sent by the tribe ; they were all 
up and expected us to go over. But 
His Lordship prevailed upon him to let 
us enjoy our camping out rather than 
go two miles across the sound in the 
middle of the night and avail ourselves 
of the Indians' hospitality. AVhen at 
last the Indian concluded to leave us, he 
went away saying that we were very 
lazy ! 

Shortly alter our Ahousat visitor had 
left us we were again aroused from our 
slumber by the noise of some Hesquiat 
Indians who were on their way to Ahou- 
sat. They wanted to know who we 
were, where we came from and where we 
were going, and finished by saying that 
the sea was very rough on the outside 
coast. When next morning we awoke, 
we made a large fire and at daylight we 
could see that we had camped in a very 
poor place, and as it began to rain, 
which prevented us from leaving, we had 
occasion to spend some very dreary hours 
on that spot. However, at noon the 
weather cleared up and then we pro- 
ceeded on our voyage till we arrived, 
about 5 p. M., at Refuge Cove. 

Here quite a number of the Hest[uiat 
Indians were living, and as the man-of- 
war was now anchored in the Cove and 
had been followed by a large number 
of Ahousats and some Clayoquots, the 
place presented quite a lively appearance. 
A number of junior officers and blue- 
jackets were on shore, and when we had 
just pitched our tent we received the visit 
of Mr. Tim Scanlan, an Irishman who 
acted as steward on board the vessel. He 
told us, in a rich Irish brogue, wherein 
we were wrong, viz. : travelling at such 
a time of the year and in such a canoe, 
and he added that the captain of the 
vessel had repeatedly spoken of us and 
was determined to pick us up wherever 
he would meet us. At the request of 
His Lordship, Mr. Scanlan promised 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



15 



not to make the captain aware of our 
presence, but Tim came back soon after 
with a supply of provisions in the shape 
of some loaves of fresh bread, a leg of 
mutton, a quarter of elk, two bottles of 
wine and one bottle of brandy. Upon 
his suggestion, we opened a bottle of 
wine and drank to the health of His 
Lordship, the Bishop, who in his turn 
proposed the health of Tim Scanlan. 
This scene was without outside witnesses, 
and took place on the evening of the 9th 
of September, 1874, in Refuge Cove. 

Next morning we were having our 
breakfast when the man-of-war steamed 
oat of Refuge Cove and we resumed our 
journey as soon as that transaction was 
over. No wind, a heavy sea and the 
sun burning over our heads, made the 
crossing of Hesquiat harbor anything 
but pleasant. Besides, our Indians had 
indigestion and were all three very sea- 
sick. One of them, between the inter- 
vals of vomiting, would carelessly sing 
old Indian songs, which would afford us, 
if not recreation, at least a topic to speak 
about. At noon we took dinner in 
front of the Hesquiat outside camp 
(oume-is). Then we went on shore 
again on the Escalante Rocks, whence we 
paddled to Friendly Cove, Nootka 
Sound. There, to our horror, we 
again found the Boxer at anchor ; and 
while we were boiling our cup of tea and 
the Indians were putting up our tent we 
received once more the visit of our friend 
of yesterday, Mr. Tim Scanlan, who 
brought us another bottle of brandy ; at 
the same time he announced that the 
captain had ordered his boat to be low- 
ered and that with the Superintendent of 
Indian affairs he would come on shore 
and invite us to go on board of his ves- 
sel. And indeed before we had taken 
our tea, we were introduced to Captain 
Collins, of the Royal Navy, and by him 
prevailed upon to abandon our way of 
travelling in an Indian canoe and avail 
ourselves of the accommodation of an 
EngHsh man of-war to continue our 
journey. The captain, as we under- 



stood, was a staunch member of the 
Anglican church and every day held di- 
vine service on board. He kept a bank 
for the men and had established a tem- 
perance society for them. He made our 
stay on board most enjoyable, and, as it 
happened to be on a Friday, he kindly 
and delicately had matters arranged in 
such a way that the abstinence enjoined 
by the Church on that day was easily ob- 
served. The weather was thick and 
foggy, but we managed to pass the 
Nootka narrows long before noon. We 
went as far as Catala Island, anchored 
there for a time, but as it was not al- 
lowed by the rules of the navy to go out 
in the foggy, uncertain weather it 
then was, the captain concluded to run 
for Queen's Cove and there spend the 
night at anchor in smooth water. A 
beautiful hammock was fixed up as a bed 
for His Lordship the Bishop, and a bed 
was prepared for me on a sofa. Our In- 
dians were made comfortable below with 
the marines. We left next morning at 5 
A. M. ; got as far as Catala Island, but 
owing to the state of the weather and sea 
we once more returned to Queen's Cove. 
At noon we made a fresh start and run- 
ning as we did before a fresh easterly 
breeze, we arrived early in the afternoon 
to anchor in Man of- War harbor, Kyu- 
quot Sound. 

We left H. M. S. Boxer next morn- 
ing at 5 o'clock. Our canoe, which had 
been taken on board at Friendly Cove, 
was lowered and the liberality of Tim 
Scanlan, under orders of the captain, 
had so much increased our stock of pro- 
visions that by the time we got in her 
we were so deeply loaded that it was 
impossible or dangerous to look behind 
us to cast a last look at the fine war ves- 
sel, on which we had spent two most 
enjoyable days. 

And now we were on shore in Kyu- 
quot Sound ! We took up our head- 
quarters in Capt. Spring's old and un- 
occupied store. We went to Chicluat 
next day, where we did very little be- 
sides baptizing one child. We soon dis- 



i6 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



covered that we had chosen a b^d time 
of the year to find the Kyuquots to- 
gether. They were camped at a dozen 
different places, but His Lordship con- 
cluded that he would go and see the 
chief. He was at the end of Bokshis 
inlet, and there we met him next day 
with a few more Indians. We baptized 
a few newly- born children. His Lord- 
ship prepared a young girl who was at 
the point of death, but nothing else 
could be accomplished. His Lordship 
had bought from the chief for a few bis- 
cuits a wooden bucket representing an 
animal, the tail being the handle, the 
body the body of the bucket, and the 
head and mouth the passages through 
which the water or liijuid was poured. 
It was a curious piece of work very 
artistically done, and together with 
some masks got also at this place, was 
given as a souvenir of our trip to Cap- 
tain Collins of H. M. S. Boxer, who 
felt so proud of the gift that he after- 
wards exhibited it in one of the princi- 
pal hotels in Victoria. 

September 17. — The chief sent his son 
and six other young men next day to 
where we expressed the wish to go, 
namely the Newchaliot village. We 
had a quick but rough passage; at one 
time the sea struck our canoe and nearly 
filled her up with water. 

At Newchaliot we did very little or 
no good, the dispositions of the Indians 
being very indifferent, and it cost us 
quite an amount of trouble to get a crew 
to take us to the next tribe. Finally 
three old men volunteered, and that 
night we were amongst the Nootkas 
camped at Cah Shis. We found these 
Indians in full glee — a dead whale had 
drifted on their land and the houses 
were full of blubber, which the women 
were boiling and reducing to oil. I do 
not think that anything that we could 
have said under the circumstances would 
have had much effect, as the whale was 
uppermost in their minds. 

\\'e stayed only one night, then with a 



small crew we went down the sound, 
went on shore at I^tawinni, baptized a few 
children, but could not get to Machelat 
that day. We therefore slept at a place 
called 0-is and went the next morning to 
Ow-is, where the Machelat chief was 
camped and expected us at any moment. 
As we went on shore at O-is the eve- 
ning before, a Machelat canoe had seen 
us and reported our approach to their 
friends. Then the tribe at once pre- 
pared to receive us. r\Iessengers had 
been sent that very night to all the fish- 
ing stations, and by the time we arrived 
we learned that the tribe was collecting 
on the other side of the sound. 

September 2 1 . - At 11 o' clock as a strong 
westerly wind was blowing up Machelat 
Inlet, ten canoes filled with Indians put 
up sail on the other side and steered for 
( )w-is. It was a sight never to be for- 
gotten, the enthusiasm of these Indians 
and the taste displayed in their arrange- 
ments for our reception. They were all 
nicely dressed, the women in white calico 
robes and the men with pants and coats. 
We assembled them at once and stayed 
with them three days, during which time 
they learned the Lord's Prayer, the Hail 
Mary, the Creed, Ten iCommandments 
and Seven Sacraments in their own lan- 
guage. Most of the Indians were living 
under tents made with their canoe sails, 
at all times a poor shelter, but especially 
at this season of the year. But upon 
expressing our feelings of sorrow for 
them, as it was raining most of the time, 
they pleasantly replied that the rain did 
not cause them any inconvenience, and 
that we should not leave them before 
they knew everything we had a mind to 
teach them. Such fervor and zeal we 
had not met in any other tribe, and 
therefore, in order to encourage and re- 
ward them. His Lordship concluded to 
plant at their principal camping place 
another mission cross. This was done 
with great succcess, and in the same 
order as we had observed on the occasion 
of our first trip at Kyuquot. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



17 



September 25. — Next morning we 
left Machelat in one of their canoes, 
with the chief and eleven of his 
young men, en route for Hesquiat. 
When off Sunday Rock we met a Hes- 
quiat canoe crowded with young men, 
who were on the lookout for our ex- 
pected arrival. As soon as they recog- 
nized us they put about, intending to 
precede us and warn the tribe. How- 
ever, our Machelat crew took to their 
paddles, and a regular race between the 
two canoes took place. There was no 
wind, and the sea ran mountains high. 
We had not met such a heavy swell in all 




We began our work at once; taught the 
Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, Creed, Ten 
Commandments and Seven Sacraments, 
all of which the Indians learned with 
much zeal. Here it struck the Bishop that 
this tribe would be a good place to start a 
Mission, being the most central and the 
Indians of the best good will. He men- 
tioned the matter to the chief, asking of 
him to assemble the other chiefs of the 
tribe and propose to them the matter in 
question ; which having been done, we 
were informed, in presence of the whole 
tribe, that land would be given for Mission 
buildings and other purposes ; that we 




MEDAL AWAKUEU CHIEF MATLAHAW OK HESQUIAT BY THE DOMINION FOR RESCUING THE 
CREW OF THE AMERICAN BARK Edwiu . 



our travels. Although in company with 
the Hesquiats, we would lose sight of 
them for several minutes to see them 
again rise on the crest of the heavy 
waves, whilst we were, as it were, in the 
abyss of the ocean. It was a really 
grand piece of sailing we had on that 
day from Sunday Rocks to Hesquiat 
harbor. We at last lost sight of the Hes- 
quiats in the fog, but we could hear them 
fire off their guns ahead of us as a signal 
to the tribe to be ready. We found the 
chiefs house, where we stayed for four 
days, cleanly swept out, and mats laid all 
over the floor, and the Indians full of 
joy to see us again. 



could have our choice as to locality. 
At the same time a spot was mentioned 
on the hill — according to the Bishop 
not desirable, being too much exposed 
to the northerly wind. As to the ob- 
jection that the spot was surrounded by 
Indian houses, the Indians were willing 
to evacuate the village site and grant 
it for Mission purposes. During our stay 
at Hesquiat, as well as at Machelat, we 
said Mass every morning at 5 o'clock, at 
which all the Indians were present, and 
during which they recited the Holy 
Rosary. We here noticed every morn- 
ing — and, in fact, whenever we assem- 
bled the Indians — such zeal and fervor 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



that old men unable to walk were carried 
on the backs of the young men to the 
chiefs house, and some of them came on 
hands and feet. 

The oldchiefof Hesquiat, his son being 
absent at Cape Flattery, took us to 
Ahousat with a large crew of young men. 
We arrived in due time at Esik-takis, 
the residence of Shi-oush, the second 
chief of the tribe. Mokivinna, the iirst 
chief, was sent for, but refused to come, 
having only lately lost one of his children. 
Shi-oush at once sent out several canoes 
to fetch the Indians from their different 
salmon rivers. The messengers trav- 
elled all night, and next morning quite a 
large number arrived and listened to the 
Bishop's instructions, and learned part 
of our Cathohc hymns and prayers; but, 
being over-anxious to return to their 
homes that evening, a disturbance took 
place, and they got a severe reprimand 
from the Bishop. Afterwards things 
were settled, and the Indians left us 
in good humor, while we prepared to 
leave next morning. 

October i. — Shi-oush and his oldest 
son and one of his slaves took us to Clayo- 
quot, where we found the chief absent ; 
but we were taken to the lodge of Sita- 
kenim, where we slept. 

October 2. — The chief arrived next 
morning. We went over to see him, but 
as he was eating as we went into the house. 
His Lordship, the Bishop of Vancouver 
Island, and one of his priests were told to 
go outside ; that the chief of the Clayo- 
quots could not transact any business 
with them till he had finished eating his 
breakfast ! After walking outside quite a 
time Shi-oush, the Clayoquot chief, came 
to meet us, asked our business and pro- 
posed to assemble the Indians there 
present (Opessat ) in his house, which 
was not quite made up for the winter 
season. The Bishop spoke to them for 
some little time, after which I baptized 
four young children. Having proposed 
to the Clayoquot chief to take us to 
Ucluliat he wished us to go with him up 
the Clayocjuot arm to his salmon station; 



he would from there cross to Long Bay or 
Schooner Cove. If no canoe was at any 
of the outside camps it would be an easy 
task to pull a canoe across and put her 
afloat with our baggage at Long Bay, 
comparatively speaking, a short distance 
from Ucluliat harbor. We complied 
with his desire, which gave us a chance 
to see Clayotjuot inlet, the entrance to 
the lake, and the muddy flats, literally 
alive with ducks and geese. The dreary 
hours that we spent at that chiefs house 
are painful to remember ; the smoke and 
stench inside cannot be imagined ; besides, 
the house was so low and the abund- 
ance of salmon so great that we could 
not move except in a stooping position 
and we could not put down a foot except 
on or over dissected salmon or salmon 
roe ! We, therefore, went outside and 
pitched our tent, and next morning we 
begged of the chief as a favor to take us 
to Long Bay and thence to LTcluliat. 
The poor man seemed anxious to comply 
with our request, but upon coming to 
the sea-coast he found that the surf 
would not allow launching a canoe. We, 
therefore, were compelled to pitch our 
tent and await better weather. Mean- 
while he went to his house and family, 
promising to come next day. He kept his- 
word, but made the same remark as the 
day before — easterly wind. Off he went 
again with the promise of another visit 
next day. Again he kept his word, but 
again the same difificulty — easterly 
wind. This morning, upon rising, we 
noticed that our tent had been visited 
by a bear. His tracks were there, but 
finding the tent occupied he had pre- 
ferred to walk off rather than disturb us. 
About noon His Lordship proposed to 
walk over the Indian trail to Ucluliat. 
The Clayoquots hardly approved of 
the idea, but promised to take our bag- 
gage to Capt. Francis's house as soon as 
the weather would permit. With this 
promise the Bishop was satisfied, or- 
dered me to prepare some provisions, 
which I did with reluctance, and off we 
went, on foot, accompanied by two Ky- 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



uquot Indians who helped us in carrying 
the things that we had judged necessary 
to take along. We walked all that after- 
noon, first over a beautiful sandy beach; 
then we crossed a point and arrived in 
Wreck Bay, around which we also walked 
that day over a nasty, gravelly shore, 
and shortly before dark we made a fire 



midnight the water was streaming down 
the hill under us, and having decamped 
to the upper side of the stump of a large 
tree, I called the Bishop to come and 
join me, which after some persuasion he 
did, I showing him the way by striking 
from time to time a match. I was after- 
wards sorry for extending the invitation. 




A GROUP OF INDIANS WITH THEIR CHIEF, MATLAHAW, THE WOULD-HE MURDERER OF 

FATHER BRABANT. 



and prepared our supper. Then the 
Bishop ordered the Indians to prepare 
for us a decent camping place, which 
they did, half way on a sandy hill. We 
laid down and fell asleep, but were soon 
awakened by heavy drops of rain, and we 
then noticed that the sky had clouded 
up and that it was pitch dark. About 



as we soon discovered that we had moved 
from bad to worse. Here, however, we 
remained in the water and mud till four 
o'clock in the morning, when I went 
down the hill and made a cup of tea on 
the fire of last night, which had kept 
ahve under a large piece of a log. 

We left as soon as it was davlight. 



20 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



After a short walk along the beach we 
took to the bush, intending to make a 
short cut of a projecting point. After 
struggling about a couple of hours 
through the thick salal brushwood, we 
came to the Indian trail, which we were 
glad to discover; and following it with 
great avidity we travelled about five 
miles an hour, when, lo! to our great 
disappointment, we noticed that said 
trail led directly to our old camping 
place, where the fire on which we had 
cooked our breakfast was still smoking. 
Our courage now sank very low, and 
then, instead of following the same trail 
in an opposite direction, which with a 
little reflection we ought to have done, 
■we went over rocks and boulders around 
the point which we had intended to have 
cut ofi" that morning. According to di- 
rections given by the Clayoquots we were 
at a certain spot to cross to the Ucluliat 
inlet. This we intended to do, when we 
took to the bush again. We walked and 
walked till I found my strength failing, 
which the Bishop noticing, he proposed 
that we should take something to eat. 
Accordingly we made a fire in the bush, 
and then we boiled doughnuts! We ate 
them with great appetite; then we noticed 
that our two Kyuquot Indians began to 
show bad will and insisted on going back 
to the beach, which we accordingly did. 
Early in the afternoon the rain, which 
had fallen in the morning in the shape 
of a Scotch mist, became thicker and 
thicker, and having come to a small bay, 
where driftwood was piled up in great 
quantity, we prepared a place where we 
could spend the night. We started a 
big fire, which soon spread to the trees 
around, and in the morning I discovered 
that a hole was burned through one of my 
boots and that my cloak was badly dam- 
aged. The Bishop's clothing had also 
suffered to a certain extent through fire. 
We took as breakfast the last piece of 
meat we had left, and we also made 
slapjacks with our last flour. After this 
we began to walk with renewed courage. 
However, about nine o'clock the liishop 



took a fainting fit. He lay down on the 
rocks and asked if I had any food left. 
I took down a satchel which I had on my 
back, and after careful examination I 
found in a paper a few grains of sugar 
and a little flour in the corner of an old 
flour sack ; this I gathered in a spoon 
and presented to His Lordship; he would 
not, however, take any of it except after 
I had taken my share, saying that he 
did not know what would become of us 
in case I should also give out. We next 
noticed that the Indians were gathering 
mussels on the rocks and ate them with 
great relish. This we also did and raw 
mussels and salal berries were the only 
food which we took till we reached 
Captain Francis' place in Ucluliat next 
morning. 

The captain could hardly recognize 
us: seeing our condition and hearing of 
our long compulsory abstaining from 
food, he advised us, and we followed his 
advice, not to take any full meal till we 
had by eating very little at a time 
prepared our stomachs for its usual 
functions — at the same time the captain 
went into his store and gave us new pants 
and shoes, for all our clothes had been 
reduced to rags in our attempt to travel 
through the brushwood. His Lordship, 
Bishop Seghers, at one time escaped 
being drowned, having slipped from a 
rock in crossing a ravine, where the sea 
swept in very freely at high tide. 

Our experience from Clayoquot to 
Ucluliat had such an effect on our general 
condition that it took more than two 
weeks for us to recover our usual 
strength. 

At Ucluliat we did nothing, as the 
Indians were all away to their salmon 
rivers. The young chief Wish-Routl 
took us to Ekoul and some Ekoul 
Indians went with us to Wannicanut where 
we found the Indians under the influence 
of liquor. We baptized at Ekoul seven 
children and a few at Wannicanut. 

Then we made arrangements with an 
Ekoul Indian to take us to Wanaimo, 
which he promised to do for six dollars. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



21 




A TYPICAL INDIAN SCENE, HESQUIAT, H. C. 



We had a pleasant trip up the Alberin 
Canal. Having left Ekoul in the morn- 
ing we arrived in the afternoon at Gold 
River, called at the house of the miners 
but found them absent, but as a sign of 
our passing there the Bishop wrote on 
their door the fact of our caUing and 
wishing them success. That night we 
were received and made comfortable by 
Mr. Clark, who was then manager of the 
Johnston farm. He showed some fine 
horses of which he had twenty-two; also 
some of his cattle, stating that he had a 
hundred and sixty head running all over 
the settlement. Besides Mr. Clark, Mr. 
Cuglar was the only settler. 

Next day we went to visit the Opich- 
asat where we were well received. They 
were then living above the forks of the 
river. The Iseshats were also on the 
river, but, as their chief had refused to re- 
ceive us the day before, we coolly passed 
them over. 

Next day again we commenced our 
walk to Qualicum, a delightful trip 
over the newly made road. At noon 
we were at the lake, which we crossed in 
a canoe, and thence we walked to the 
East Coast side, where we arrived at 5 
p. M. 



Here we pitched our tent, and on 
Sunday morning we found a canoe in the 
bush and with paddles and a sail made 
with our tent, we travelled with great 
speed to VVanaimo where we were in time 
to hear the Protestant bells ring for eve- 
ning service. It happened that the 
steamer Emma was to leave the next day 
for Victoria and on her we took passage 
arriving in Victoria on Tuesday morn- 
ing, at 2 A. M. We went on shore at 
once and astonished every one by arriving 
in time to say Mass, which for both of us 
was a Mass of thanksgiving. 

First Mission 

established on the west coast of 

vancouver island at hesquiat. 

About the beginning of February, 
1885, I had just returned from a mission 
to Sitka, Alaska Territory, when I was 
notified by Right Rev. Bishop Seghers, 
D.D. , to prepare myself and to be ready 
to go to Hesquiat and take charge of the 
West Coast Indians in the beginning of 
the spring. 

In conformity with this order I got 
everything in readiness, and a carpenter 
was hired by His Lordship at the same 
time. Rev. Fr. Rondeault, of Quam- 



22 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



ichan, was requested to accompany us 
to Hesquiat and help us to put up the 
Mission buildings. 

We left Victoria on the Feast of 
the Ascension, May 6, at five o'clock 
in the morning, on the sloop Tlioniton, 
owned by Captain Warren & Co., and 
commanded by Captain George IJrown. 
We had on board three little calves, one 
bull and two heifers, which were destined 
to become the pioneer cattle in this part 
of the country. A young Newfoundland 
dog was to be my only domestic com- 
panion after Noel Leclaire, the car- 
penter, and Rev. Fr. Rondeault would 
have finished the work for which they 
were sent. We had rather a quick pas- 
sage as, having left Victoria on Thurs- 
day morning and called and discharged 
freight at Fkoul, we arrived in Hes(|uiat 
harbor next Tuesday afternoon. Off 
Clayoquot Sound we met two Hesquiat 
canoes on their way to Victoria, with 
Matlahaw, the chief, and his father, in 
one of them. Although re( [nested by 
Captain Brown to return with us, and 
offered a free passage on the schooner, 
they insisted on continuing their trip to 
Victoria. 

After castmg anchor in the inner har- 
bor the weather became very stormy, 
which prevented us from landing our 
freight until Thursday morning. We 
had, however, put ashore our little calves 
immediately upon arriving, and when on 
Thursday we walked over to the Hestjuiat 
village they followed us like dogs, some- 
times forgetting themselves when amidst 
good pasture ground, and then running 
up to us with the utmost speed. 

There was now question of selecting 
a spot for our Mission buildings. The 
chief was absent, and not an Indian 
dared or was willing to point a suit- 
able place out to us. Every one of my 
suggestions was for various reasons repu- 
diated and we owe to our listening to 
Captain Brown the fact that the Mis- 
sion was put up where it now stands. 

Our orders had been to put up a 
church of 60x26 ft. and a small resi- 



dence for the priest, everything to be 
done as cheaply as possible, as the estab- 
lishment of a Mission was only an exper- 
iment: later on, say after five years, if 
the Mission was successful, more sub- 
stantial buildings would be put up. 

In December of the preceding year the 
bark Kdiviii, Capt. Hughes, loaded with 
lumber for Australia, had become water- 
logged in the straits, and her freight hav- 
ing shifted, she had split open so as to 
make of her a complete wreck. The 
Captain's wife now buried at Itloune, 
Hesquiat harbor, had been crushed be- 
tween the heavy timbers and his twohttle 
boys washed overboard as well as a 
Chinese cook. 

Early one morning the Hesquiat In- 
dians saw the vessel with all sails set 
taking the direction of Itloune before 
a south-easterly wind. Close to the ves- 
sel was a raft on which they noticed the 
sailors trying to make for shore and in 
great danger of being lost. Matlahaw, 
the chief of the tribe, suggested the pro- 
priety of going to the rescue of the drown- 
ing men. Several canoes were launched 
and off they went over the heavy and 
stormy waves. They succeeded in tak- 
ing oft' all the men, for which Matlahaw 
afterward received from the Dominion 
Government a silver medal and from 
the United States Government a lib- 
eral reward for himself and the men who 
had given any assistance to the ship- 
wrecked sailors. 

The bark was now on the beach to the 
outside of Itloune point and all the lum- 
ber, consisting of rafters, heavy and light, 
rough lumber and flooring, was piled up 
by the sea a niile along the seashore. It 
was from the lumber of the unfortunate 
vessel that our Mission buildings were 
constructed. Captain Warren bought the 
wreck and from him we got almost all the 
lumber required. Some Indians had 
used part to construct new houses, but 
with some trouble and reasoning they 
were prevailed upon to let us have the 
use of all. 

I may here state that the Indians had 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



23 



treated the sailors and captain of the bark 
Edwin with much kindness. They ap- 
pear, however, to have been a rough 
crowd. It seems hardly credible, still the 
rescuers maintain that when they arrived 
with their canoes alongside of tne raft 
where most of the men were nearly 
perishing from cold and exposure, they 
were told to leave in his sad predicament 
one of the crew, to throw hmi overboard; 
no other reason being given, as I was 
afterwards told, but that he was a Dutch- 
man. 

Later they began quarrelling in the 
chief's house, fought and wounded each 
other to such an extent that they had to 
be separated and made to lodge in 
different houses. As soon as the weather 
permitted the Indians took the ship- 
wrecked men to Clayoquot Sound, whence 
they reached Ucluliat and from there 
were taken on one of Captain Spring's 
schooners to Victoria. 

Immediately after landing, we set to 
work. We began by building a small 
shed, where we had our beds, our stove, 
provisions and where we took our meals 
— our dog slept under the bed, and our 
calves alongside the stove. Under one of 
the beds we had a barrel of beer, 
presented to us by Stuart &: Reast of 
Victoria, and at regular times the builders 
were invited to take a cup of the beverage, 
which they called when the Indians were 
present a "cup of tea. " 

Although this was the best season of 
the year, the weather was most unpropi- 
tious, and before long our carpenter 
complained of being sick; afterwards he 
tried to make a row and when told that 
we could do without him he managed to 
get better, but for whole days together 
we could not get him to speak a word. 
Everything considered, the first Mission 
buildings on this coast were put up 
amidst much unpleasantness. 

The first Mass was said in the new 
church on the fifth of July, it being the 
Feast of the Most Precious Blood. All 
the Hesquiats were present ; also, the 
chief and a crowd of Machelat Indians. 



Mass was said by Rev. A Brabant, and 
the sermon preached by Rev. P. Ron- 
deault. 

Next morning a canoe took Rev. P. 
Rondeaultand Noel Leclaire, the carpen- 
ter, to Victoria, and I was left alone in 
this place and in charge of all the In- 
dians from Pachina (included) to Cape 
Cook. 

I soon discovered that the work before 
me was an uphill undertaking, and, to 
mention one fact only, there was not 
one Indian in Hesquiat who could act as 
interpreter. However, I managed to 
teach the tribe the " Catholic Ladder," 
and I made up my mind to study the 
language, which I found no easy matter, 
is I had no books to consult and there 
was no one who could give me any 
information about it. 

In the beginning of August I made a 
trip to the Chicklisats and other tribes 
on the way. Guyer, a Clayoquot Indian, 
a first-rate interpreter, accompanied me 
and six Hesquiats, all full grown men, as 
the Indians would not allow their sons to 
go along for fear they might be killed by 
the Kyuquots, who were supposed to be 
very badly disposed to their tribe. 

Guyer, the Clayoquot Indian, had 
some time before this stabbed a man 
belonging to Beechy Bay, near Victoria. 
This man and his wife were slaves in 
Clayoquot and belonged to Chief 
Sheouse. This last, fearing trouble, 
asked (iuyer to kill the man-slave, 
which he did, stabbing him in the chest 
with an ordinary file. 

This misdeed weighed very heavy on 
the mind of (iuyer, and, as he told me, 
his reason tor coming to Hesquiat and 
accompanying me on this trip was to 
seek relief for his mind. He wanted me 
to state that no harm would happen to 
him by the white men's police, and, as I 
could not do so, he begged of me to take 
him, as soon as convenient, to the 
authorities in Victoria. The remorse of 
conscience of that man, or the dread of 
retahation, was a real suffering to him. 

At Nootkawe found a young woman 



24 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



belonging to Ehattesat, who was sup- 
posed to be the wife of one of the 
Nootka young men. She sent an Indian 
to see me, and wanted an interview. I 
allowed her the privilege she asked for. 
She told me that she wanted to accom- 
pany us to Ehattesat; that she would not 
live with the man who claimed her as 
his wife and had been stolen by him out 
of a canoe against her will. She had 
been a slave in Nootka, and was consid- 
ered as such again. 

After considering these and other rea- 
sons and hearing the opinion of some of 
the most influential Nootka Indians, I 
gave her permission to accompany us, and 
the next day she was returned to her 
friends and home. 

But nothing else unusual happened, 
although at Kyuquot we were very badly 
received, and my Indians, suspecting 
danger, slept with knives in their hands. 
It was only after much trouble that they 
would allow me to baptize their children. 
We were absent about two weeks, and 
shortly afterwards I received a letter 
from Bishop Seghers summoning me to 
go to Victoria. 

I left Hesquiat about the twentieth of 
September and arrived back on the 
schooner Surprise, Captain Francis, on 
the fifth of October. The Indians were 
glad to see me back. Next day Captain 
Warren entered the harbor on the sloop 
Thornton. 

Upon landing I was told that an In- 
dian woman, "a doctoress, " had died 
during my absence, after a few days 
sickness. 

Next I heard that a large number of 
Nootka Sound Indians were sick and 
that several had died. The report ar- 
rived that the sickness was small pox; 
that the whole tribe was wild with excite- 
ment; that they would come to Hesquiat 
and kill as many of the tribe as had died 
of the disease! I spurned the threat 
and persuaded the Indians not to be 
uneasy. 

On the eighteenth of October the 
wife of Matlahaw died rather suddenly 



at Hesquiat. As I suspected that every- 
thing was not right, I assembled the In- 
dians on the hill, and told those who 
were living in the chiefs house to cjuit, 
and also if there was anybody else un- 
well to come and give me information. 

Upon arriving home, I was met by 
Charley, whose mother had died during 
my absence. He reported that his father 
was sick. I went to his house and found 
the old man very sick, evidently with 
small-pox. He was lying in one corner 
of the room and in the other corner was 
his sister, an elderly woman, also in the 
last stages of the fatal disease. I baptized 
both of them, saw them well provided 
with food and water, and went home con- 
vinced that a very trying time was before 
me. 

I was not disappointed, for next morn- 
ing the first news I heard was that both 
were dead and that others had taken sick. 

As soon as Mass was over, a large 
number of Indians came to my house, 
and I made preparations to have the 
dead buried. I went and dug two graves, 
but when the time for the funeral had 
arrived no one would help me take away 
the corpses. I reasoned and entreated 
my visitors to give me a hand, but all to 
no purpose. At last after several hours 
talking, a Cape Flattery Indian living 
here with his Hesquiat wife volunteered. 
Others followed his example, and I mus- 
tered a force of ten to do the burying of 
the dead. Never was such a funeral 
seen by mortal man! First I had to give 
medicine to everyone of them. As I 
had none I boiled water, broke some 
biscuits in it, sweetened the whole with 
sugar, and insisted that this would be 
the very best preservative in the world 
against small-pox. 

Then began the march. I led the pro- 
cession, then came the ten Indians in a 
hne, with their faces blackened and cover- 
ed with Indian charms. They were shout- 
ing and jumping, and when we came to 
the house where the dead were, not one 
dared to come in and assist me. But 
the Cape Flattery Indian again gave an ex- 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



25 



ample of bravery. He was accompanied 
by Charley's father in-law and Charley 
himself. The coffin was a small Indian 
canoe, to which was attached about 
forty feet of rope. We took up the old 
man first : he presented a ghastly sight as 
the blood and bloody matter were cover- 
ing his face and streaming out of his 
mouth. The woman was covered with 
two new black blankets, and had evi- 
dently died first, her brother having 
rendered to his dead sister the pious duty 
of clothing the corpse ; she was put into 
the same canoe and then orders were 
given to take hold of the lines. Every- 
one wanted to take the very end, but 
after some confusion the canoe was 
pulled out of the house, I acting as steers- 
man, and thence a good distance into 
the bush And after securely covering 
the original cofifin with Indian planks, 
we all returned to my house. 

Before entering, the Indians all rushed 
into the river praying and shouting ; and 
having thrown away their blankets, 



which were their only covering, they next 
came in every one of them as naked as 
the moment he had been born. Some 
thoughtful woman, after some time, 
came with a supply of blankets and then 
the spectacle became rather more 
decent and respectable. 

But now another scene was enacted — 
as they had noticed that I was chewing 
tobacco upon going to bury the dead, 
they had insisted upon doing the same 
thing, and not being accustomed to that 
polite practice, they had swallowed all 
the tobacco juice. Some of them in 
consequence came near dying, as it took 
them many hours before they got over 
their vomiting. 

Next day I went to see the chiefs 
daughter, who was very low also with 
small pox. She was a courageous woman 
and did not give up till she was quite blind 
and her head as black and as thick as a 
large iron pot. She was baptized and 
seemed to be in the best disposition. 
Her own father and another old Indian 




INDIANS OF DIFFERENT TRIBES. SAILORS FROM //. J/. .S". Boxer. 



26 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



helped me to bury her. The sight of 
the corpse was simply horrible, and as we 
left the shanty in which she died swarms 
of flies surrounded us all. 

At this time Matlahaw, the Hesquiat 
chief, his father Cownissim, Omerak and 
Charley had obtained permission to sleep 
in the Indian room of my house. Upon 
according this privilege, Matlahaw prom- 
ised and gave me all the strip of land 
between the river and the beach. 

I passed most of my time in vaccinat- 
ing the Indians and in trying to cheer 
them up, for the fear and discourage- 
ment in some cases were altogether alarm- 
ing. Matlahaw and Charley were hard- 
ly alive. Hence they would sit for hours 
together, telling me of the importance 
of their lives and insisting upon my us- 
ing all possible means to preserve them 
from the disease. Charley had been 
vaccinated successfully in Victoria, but 
although I tried it twice on Matlahaw 
the vaccine had no effect. This seemed 
to increase his fear. He now became 
morose and avoided the company of his 
friends; in fact he was not to be seen in 
the daytime for several days. 

We used to be up before daylight and 
for two or three mornings, as I got up, 
upon looking through my window I 
noticed him sitting alongside of his father 
apparently engaged with him in very se- 
cret conversation. 

On the twenty-seventh of October he 
shot some blue jays on my potato patch, 
and the rest of the time he stood outside, 
watching my movements, and from time 
to time exchanging a few words with the 
Indians who were constantly about my 
house. 

Towards evening the report that an In- 
dian woman was very sick was received. 
I went to see her, but noticed that her 
case was not very serious as yet. How- 
ever, next morning the first thing 
I did upon getting up was to go and see 
the old woman, who was if anything 
rather better than the day before. 

Upon entering my house and about to 
go and ring the bell for Mass, Matlahaw 



came into my house and asked me for 
the loan of my gun, which upon handing 
to him I stated to be unloaded. He 
simply remarked tlxit he had powder and 
shot in his shanty, which was made of a 
few Indian planks and which with my 
permission he had constructed behind 
my little barn. 

All the Indians of the tribe, save the 
old woman who had small-pox and Mat- 
lahaw and his father, were at Mass. 
The old man was missed at once, and 
afterwards it was found out that he had 
crossed the bay with his little grand- 
child and gone up Sidney Inlet, where 
his wife had gone before him. There 
she died of small-pox, as also her female 
slave; and the old chief, in a fit of pas- 
sion, took a stone and with it killed the 
husband and one old slave. 

When the Mass was over, and just 
as I was about finishing my breakfast, 
Charley came into my room and said, 
"Look out, Leflet ; Matlahaw is sick. 
You had better take your gun from him. ' ' 

I made one or two inquiries, and 
after saying a tew words jokingly, to 
give heart and courage to the messenger, 
who looked alarmingly excited or down- 
hearted, I went out, my pipe in my 
mouth, to see the would-be patient. 
When I arrived inside of his shanty I 
noticed in the middle a small fire, before 
which he was squatting down. He had 
his chief's cap and also the coat pre- 
sented by the Superintendent of Indian 
Affairs. Behind him, against the wall, 
stood my double barrelled gun and an 
Indian musket. I asked what the matter 
was, when, smilingly, he looked up, and 
pulling the skin of his leg, he answered, 
" Memeloust — small-pox." I reassured 
him, saying that I would give him medi- 
cine and that by evening he would be all 
right. Again he looked up, his face 
being very pale and the sinews of his 
cheeks trembling, and pulling at the skin 
of his throat he repeated memeloust. 
Once more I repeated that I would give 
him medicine and that he would be well 
before eveninij. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



27 



Then I asked him to hand me over 
my gun, which he took without getting 
up; then pointing it towards me he ex- 
plained, as I understood, that one of 
the barrels was not loaded. The tact 
of the muzzle of the gun being pointed 
straight to my face and noticing caps on 
both nipples and the cocks pulled up, 
caused me instinctively to turn away my 
head, when lo ! the explosion took place 
and I noticed the blood spurting from 
my hand. The smoke was so thick that 
I could not see the would-be murderer, 
and thinking the whole affair to be an 
accident, after calmly remarking that I 
was shot in the hand, I walked down to 
the little river where I bowed down to 
bathe my wounds in the stream. Just 
then he shot again, this time hitting me 
in the right shoulder and all over my 
back. 

I now knew the man wanted to kill 
me and I ran off to my house, where I 
found no one. Thence I ran to the 
ranch and was met by nearly all the men 
of the tribe, to whom I told what had 
happened. Some of them pretended 
that Meowchal Indians had done the 
shooting, but after my stating again and 
again that it was Matlahaw they be- 
came convinced that he indeed was the 
guilty party. After a few moments a 
film came over my eyes and thinking 
that I would not survive, I knelt down 
and said my acts of faith, hope, charity 
and contrition ; then I got up, went to 
my house and wrote on a piece of paper 
the name of the man who had shot me, 
put the paper in my bureau, locked it 
and put the key into my pocket. By 
this time the noise and alarm outside of 
my house was deafening ; the loyal men 
of the tribe were there with axes and 
guns to kill the chief, but he had run 
away into the bush, not having been 
seen after the shooting, save by an old 
woman. 

Meanwhile I had been divested by 
some savages of my coat and under- 
clothing. The Indians, upon noticing 
the blood, lost courage and one after 



the other walking out of the room, 
announced to their friends that I was 
dying. This was also my opinion, 
although I felt no pain whatever either 
in the hand or the back. Then I lay 
down and ordered cold dressing to be 
placed over my wounds. I noticed 
very little of what was going on, think- 
ing that the best thing I could do was to 
pray and prepare myself to die. 

Early the next day (Oct. 29) two ca- 
noes fully manned left Hesquiat. The 
first went to Refuge Cove, where the sis- 
ter of Matlahaw, the would be murderer, 
was residing with her Indian husband. 
The Indians, excited over the doings of 
her brother, the chief, had decided to 
bring her home. In due time the canoe 
came back and the girl was land- 
ed on the beach before my house. 
She knew not what was in store 
for her. She knew not that as she 
was left there alone, crying, the Indians 
were plotting her death in expiation of 
what her brother had done to me. Such, 
however, was the case ; when the plan 
was well prepared an elderly man came 
rushing into my house where I lay on 
my bed expecting that my days were 
numbered, owing to the dangerous state 
of my wounds. He wanted to have my 
opinion ; the Indians were going to kill 
her. As the savage spoke his hair stood 
on end, froth was on his hps and his 
members trembled with excitement I 
gave orders to have the young woman 
removed to a place of safety, to have her 
taken proper care of and appointed one 
of the chiefs, a relative of hers, to act as 
her guardian during the time of unusual 
excitement. 

The other canoe came back next day. 
She had gone to Clayoquot where a man 
(Ned Thornberg) had charge of a small 
trading post. This man was living with 
an Indian woman and when the Indians 
with the message called at his place he 
met them with a Murray rifle and would 
not allow them inside until he was fully 
convinced that his visitors were Hesquiat 
Indians. As his neighbors, that is the 



28 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



Indians of Clayo([uot and Clayoquot 
Sound, were not to be trusted, he advised 
the Hes(iuiats to avail themselves of the 
darkness of the night to return to their 
homes, and with his compliments and 
condolence sent a number of yards of 
calico to be used by the Indians as a 
shroud for my " corpse!" 

On November i (Monday at noon ), 
a deputation of Indians excitedly entered 
my house and told me that they were 
going to send a canoe with the news of 
my state to Victoria, and report to the 
Bishop and the police. 

I told them quietly to please them- 
selves, but as they were determined to 
leave at once I gave them a paper on which 
I had every morning written a few words. 

Meanwhile my wounds became more 
and more inflamed. The Indians were 
up with me day and night constantly 
pouring cold water over my injured hand. 
The wounds in my back and side gave 
me great pain from the fact that I had to 
lie on them and that they could not be 
reached by cold water dressings. 

As the hours and days advanced the 
swelling increased and inflammation was 
rapidly gaining. I was trembling with cold 
although the Indians kept up a good fire. 

At last, on Tuesday, the 9th, just as it 
was getting dark, an Indian out of breath 
ran into my house and shouted that a 
man-of-war was entering the harbor ! 

I cannot describe my feelings and those 
of the poor Indians who were in my 
room and acted as nurses. . . . Half an 
hour later one of the doctors ( Dr. Wal- 
kem) who had volunteered to come 
to my assistance, rushed into my room 
and after examining my hand expressed 
his opinion that it could not be saved 
and that I would have to submit to am- 
putation. By that time Bishop Seghers, 
God bless him, had also come in. I can 
see him now, a picture of sadness. With 
tears in his eyes he told me how happy 
he felt to find me alive. ... I could 
hardly utter a word ! My strength was 
gone, for I had not tasted food or drink 
for several days. 



The Bishop went into my bed room, 
opened a bottle of port wine and 
gave me a full dose of the medicine as he 
called it in the presence of the na- 
tives and lo! my strength and courage 
came back at once. I told them of the 
details of my situation since I had seen 
him a month before in Victoria. 

The doctor of the navy ( Dr. Redfern) 
after thoroughly examining my wounds, 
declared that nothing could be done at 
present; that I would have to go to the 
hospital in Victoria, etc., and urged 
upon me the propriety of taking some 
food. He then cooked a meal and al- 
though everything was prepared in an ar- 
tistic shape I could not take more than 
one or two mouthfuls of his preparation. 

Next morning the captain ofH. M. S. 
Rocket ( Captain Harris ) came on shore 
and proposed to have the would-be mur- 
derer arrested. In fact he stated that it 
was part of his object incoming to Hes- 
quiat. But just then an Indian came 
into my house with the news of new cases 
of small-pox, and expressing his uneasi- 
ness and that of his Indian friends to be 
left alone with the dread disease in the 
village. Happily, Captain Harris did not 
understand the messenger and so we 
urged upon him the necessity of return- 
ing to Victoria, as the doctors insisted 
that my wounds would have to be attend- 
ed to without further delay. 

Besides, I told him that the man who 
had shot me had run away into the bush 
— that he had not been seen since and 
that he might be ten or twenty miles 
away in the mountains. 

An arrangement was then made with 
the principal men of the tribe that they 
were to take to Victoria the Chief Mat- 
lahaw in case he could be arrested and 
that the provincial police would pay them 
for their trouble the sum of $100 and a 
supply of provisions. 

Thereupon arrangements were made 
to have me conveyed on board of the 
man-of-war. Eight men placed me on a 
cot, took me down to the beach between 
two hues of Indians, whilst one of the 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



29 




HESQUIAT, B. C. — I. A CATHOLIC FAMILY.— 2. THE YOUNG CHIEF OF THE TRIBE, HIS AUNT, 
AND TWO CHILDREN. — 3. THE FIRST CATHOLIC FAMILY ON THE COAST. — 4. CATHOLIC 
MOTHER AND SON.— 5. CATHOLIC FAMILY. THE FATHER CAN READ AND WRITE. 



30 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



chiefs made a 
speech regretting 
what had occurred 
and bespeaking the 
speedy return of 
" their Priest." 

When we arrived 
at the vessel the 
cot was slung from 
the spanker- boom, 
an awning was 
stretched over the 
whole, and I was 
made to feel as 
comfortable as pos- 
sible under the cir- 
cumstances. 

We arrived inVic- 
toria next morning. 
At the time of our landing an immense 
crowd of people were on the wharves. 
The city was indeed in great excitement, 
for the news had just reached the people 
that the steamship Pacijic vfiih. 260 pas- 
sengers — quite a number of Victorians — 
had foundered at sea and that thus far 
only one passenger had reached shore 
alive. As we came from the very coast 
where the wreck had taken place, and as 
it had happened just a day before, the 
people were all in hopes that a number 
might have been picked up at sea. We 
had seen nothing of the wreck, and the 
crowd, looking for friends and good 
news, were doomed to return home dis- 
appointed. 

The same men who had taken me in 
a cot on the man-of-war carried me on 
their shoulders from the vessel to the 
Bishop's residence, and then landed me 
on a table in the dining-room. That 
room, — where I had passed so many 
pleasant hours with Bishop Demers and 
Bishop Seghers, his successor, and my 
colleagues, the priests of the diocese and 
especially of the Cathedral, — now looked 
gloomy. Everyone wanted to have a 
look and say a good word. The Sisters 
of St. Ann were there also well repre- 
sented. Warm water, towels, linen and 
other necessary articles were prepared 




by them, and the doctors, four in num- 
ber, began to talk business. 

They were going to amputate the 
hand ! Yes ! perhaps it would do to 
amputate only the two first fingers ! ! 
Such and other remarks I heard them 
make. However, I was not going to 
part with those necessary members of a 
priest's body to allow him to say Mass, 
without an objection ! And object I 
did ! And asked them to allow me to 
die rather than have me become a use- 
less man in the world, such as a priest 
would be if he cannot say Mass. Prot- 
estants as they were, the doctors, at first, 
did not understand my reiterated plead- 
ings to be allowed to keep my hand and 
fingers. However, they concluded to 
wait a couple of days and for the time 
being agreed among themselves to cut 
open the main ulcers, remove the 
broken bones and cut out pieces of lead 
and other foreign matter. 

They all left me with the expectation 
of returning a couple of days later to 
perform the amputation ; but prayer had 
the best of them. Two days later one 
of the doctors made his usual call, and 
seeing that the blood began again to cir- 
culate he could not conceal his astonish- 
ment and went away wondering how this 
unexpected change could have occurred. 



\ ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



31 



I was in the doctors' hands for nearly 
five months. I then heard that a 
schooner was advertised to go out seal- 
ing to the West Coast, and foreseeing 
that no other opportunity to return to 
my mission would ofter for the next six 
months, I asked for a passage on board 
and returned to my mission in Hesquiat 
on March 23, 1S76. 

I arrived in Hesquiat on April 5tli. 
The Indians having learned that I was 
on my way back to the Mission, and 
understanding that the vessel on which I 
had embarked would not come as far as 
their village, sent a canoe with nine men 
to meet me and take me home. I met 
them at "Asatikis," about twenty miles 
from the Mission. On our way we 
called at (Maktosis) Ahousat and bap- 
tized the newly born children; next day 
we arrived in Hesquiat. 

My house was in the state I had left 
it — the floor covered with blood, the 
temporary bunk which I had caused to 
be put up in my sitting-room so as to 
have more space to move about with 
water, dressings, etc., was still there; 
everything reminded me of sad days and 
sleepless nights. It all had a tendency 
to make one feel downhearted, but the 
Indians were then so happy to see me 
back that I put aside all other thoughts, 
and after a few days' cleaning, settling 
down again, I recommenced my work 
where I had left it off. 

On Easter Sunday I established a force 
of policemen. The occasion had been 
furnished by the Indians themselves. 
They had resolved to have a feast in my 
honor and to present me with a gift of 
their own as a sign of their good feelings 
towards me. True enough, the day was 
appointed and two influential men of the 
tribe were delegated to come and invite 
me. The men were dressed up in red 
blankets over their red skins, pants and 
shirts being an unknown article to men 
of their class; their faces were covered 
with black and red paint, and down of 
birds covered their heads and their long 
hair. They rather shouted than spoke, 



at the same time giving vent to wild, 
savage gesticulations. 

And so I went to the feast, which was 
given in one of the houses of a chief 
As there were no chairs in the village a 
thoughtful savage took one of my own 
and placed it in the middle of the im- 
mense building. 

There I sat like an Indian chief, 
calmly smoking my pipe and pretending 
to enjoy everything that was going on. 
There were dancing and shouting and 
gesticulations and many other extrava- 
gant things, which no one can fancy who 
has not seen wild men and women, 
covered with feathers and with painted 
cheeks, giving free expression to the feel- 
ings of their savage heart and nature. 
That sort of thing lasted for about two 
hours, and being nearly blind with the 
smoke of the camp-fires and as nearly 
deaf with the noise made by the women, 
as they beat with sticks on planks and 
Indian boxes to the measure of the 
songs of the men and boys and the 
younger class of women, I was anxious to 
go home and enjoy fresh air and peace. 
But what should happen ? There in a 
corner got up one of the chiefs and tak- 
ing a shawl from a woman's shoulders 
held it open in view of the whole 
tribe and looking at me as with 
an angry countenance he called out, 
''{Leflet : Lcflcf.') Priest ! Priest ! this is 
for you, this is for you I I present it to 
you in the name of the tribe of the Hes- 
quiats, who are all present here to do 
honor to you 1' ' 

I do not know what anybody else 
would have done ; as for me, I took the 
shawl and thanked the tribe and went 
home. But scarcely had I reached my 
house when I began to reflect and ask of 
myself, " AVhat in the world shall I do 
with that shawl?" After mature reflec- 
tion, I hit upon a plan to get rid of it. 

Easter Sunday arrived and, as said 
above, I established a force of Indian 
policemen, as asked for by the Indians 
themselves and approved by the Bishop. 
Having then carefully selected my men 



32 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



I proceeded between high Mass and eve- 
ning service to the house of one of the 
chiefs where the whole tribe, were 
assembled. I explained to them the 
object of the meeting; then I appointed 
three men to act as Indian constables, 
and gave each of them a coat and pants, 
to distinguish them from other savages 
and as a mark of their authority. Then 
taking the shawl, I held it up before 
the tribe and made a present of it to 
the woman, who took care of the orphan 
boy of the man, who had tried to kill me. 
The new policemen were then appointed 
guardians of the future chief of the Hes- 
quiats I availed myself of this season 
of fervor to teach them the "Catholic 
Ladder" of Father Lacombe. I also 
taught them to sing Mass in plain chant. 

We had the first high Mass on the 
Feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph. 

On lune 5 following, there was unusual 
excitement in the village. Early in the 
morning the news is brought that a dead 
whale is floating off the harbor. There 
is shouting and running about ; paddles 
are got ready and all the large canoes 
pulled down to the beach. Not an able- 
bodied man is left on shore : even a 
number of women accompany the crowd. 
You can see the excitement at sea, you 
can hear the shouting and singing as the 
monster of the deep is being towed 
toward the shore. At last shore is 
reached. The men stand up in their 
canoes, paddles in hands, and intone one 
of their old songs. . . . The women 
on shore stand alongside the houses, and 
taking part in the general rejoicings, beat 
a measure on the sides of the dwellings 
and their old Indian drums. 

As the day is well advanced, it is de- 
cided that the cutting up of the whale 
shall be postponed till next morning. 
Meanwhile knives are prepared, and the 
chiefs and principal men, who alone are 
entitled to a share of the big fish, secure 
a number of inferior men to give them a 
hand next day. 

June 6. — Tong before daylight the 
whale is surrounded by half naked In- 



dians; they all know the share they have 
a right to, but not one seems satisfied 
with what belongs to him — there is no 
end of quarreling and pushing each other 
about. In the disturbance a couple are 
wounded — one very seriously. After half 
a day of fighting and general disturb- 
ance, the whale being cut up, the Indians 
all retire to their houses, happy at the 
prospect of enjoying the delicacies ot 
whale blubber and whale oil for the next 
few months. 

June 7. — In the heat of their happiness 
the chiefs decide to go to Ahousat and 
invite their friends of that tribe to come 
and have a share in the general festivities. 

June ID. — Three Ahousat canoes arrive 
in Hesquiat, in ail twenty-two men. All 
the Indians assemble to receive their 
guests on the beach; they walk in proces- 
sion, one man behind the other, in white 
man's clothes, save two, whose heads 
are covered with feathers, and who dance 
the dances usual on such occasions. 
Meanwhile the Ahousats, appreciating 
the compliment, rise in their canoes, be- 
gin to beat a measure on the sides of the 
canoes and sing a song in response to a 
speech made by one of the Hesquiats. 

It all finishes by the pulling up of the 
canoes of the visitors and leading them 
into the house of one of the chiefs, who 
at once entertains them at a meal of 
" whale meat." 

The accidental floating on shore of 
this whale and the importance which the 
Indians attach to this event had caused 
them to talk a great deal about the sub- 
ject. Apropos of this event, let me give a 
notion of their superstitions on this 
point. 

A few months ago an old Indian chiet 
called "Koninnah," and known all 
along the coast, died in Hesquiat. This 
man enjoyed the reputation of bringing 
dead whales, almost at will, to the shore 
of the Hesquiat land, and even now he 
gets the credit for the whale that floated 
on shore yesterday. For as the Indians 
say that their chiefs do not forget their 
friends and subjects when they reach the 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions, 



3? 



other world, hence Koninnah, by his his whales under pain of losing his ex- 
influence, sent them " a dead whale " as traordinary powers. Whales are an article 
a token of good will. of immense importance in this locality 

This man, I am told, had here in the and with all the tribes on the coast, 
bush a small house made of cedar planks; They are considered the best and most 
to this house he would repair from time wholesome food, and the oil is used with 
to time to visit his charms, which it con all kinds of dry fish, 
tained, and go through his usual devo- June 23.— Up to this date it has rained 
tions, prayers and incantations. His a great deal ; the weather now seems to 
charms mostly consisted of human skele- break up and a rainbow is seen in the 
tons, especially those of ancient chiefs direction of Sydney inlet. All at once a 
and famous hunters. 
To these skeletons 
he would speak as if 
they were alive and 
order them to give 
him a " whale." 
Each of the skele- 
tons had its turn, and 
in addressing him- 
self to them he would 
give due credit to 
those of their num- 
ber who, he had rea- 
son to suspect, had 
been granting his 
request. 

It is narrated that 
Koninnah one day 
was boasting of caus- 
ing a dead whale to 
strand in Hesquiat 
harbor. As it hap- 
pened, the flesh was 
tough and the oil 
not sweet. The In- 
dians finding fault 
with their supposed 
good luck, he told 

them that he would get another one for couple of Indians to whom I am talking, 
them of better quality; when lo ! a bow their heads and turn their backs on 
couple of days later his prediction was the rainbow. I learn from them that the 
verified. Indians on the coast never look at a rain- 

The Indians tell their yarns with such bow for fear that some harm befall them, 
conviction of truth that it is almost pain- June 25. — A child was born to-day, and 
ful to have to contradict them. being the offspring of an important man, 

Koninnah, when desirous to be sue- there is great rejoicing. According to an 
cessful, led a life of strict continence, old custom a couple of men having the title 
He also observed laws of fasting and oi Okhei — beggars — covered with feathers 
bathing in salt water. Besides, he was and paint, go to the happy parents' house 
never to taste of the flesh or blul)ber of and there begin their pranks and dances 




niNNKK HOUR. 



34 V^ancouvcr Island and Its Missions. 

accompanied by singing and pleading, The names given by the Indians to 

their only object being to induce the their children are family names, that is, 

child's father to make presents to them they belong especially to a certain clan of 

and invite the tribe to a feast of food and the whole tribe. Through intermarriage, 

amusements. Strange to say, the father however, many have passed into different 

of the newly born child is confined to clans, and in fact, as far as I can see, they 

the house as well as the mother — -on no now are pretty well spread all over the 

pretext can he go outside and look at the tribe. Inferior people, however, dare 

ocean or sky. Such conduct on his part not give to their children certain names, 

would have the effect to scare away the which seem to be the property of the 

fish and to anger the waves of the sea. chiefs of the different tribes, nor do they, 

In case of extreme need to go outside, whatever their merits may be, apply them 

the man must cover his eyes, look down to themselves. 

to find his way; but under no pretext can In general, the names of our Indians 

he look up or walk along the beach. have some meaning, being mostly sug- 

Apart from the general rejoicings, the gested by the doings of some big hunter 
old women of the neighborhood must or ancient warrior. Quite a number of 
also have their turn. There they sit them, though, have no meaning what- 
around the newly born with sticks in ever, and are simply given as having been 
their hands, and striking up some of their the name of some ancestor. As a rule, 
usual songs begin to beat time on cedar children take the name of their grand- 
boards or a worn-out tambourine. This father or grandmother, sometimes of 
they continue until the new mother or other ancestors, but never those of their 
her nearest relatives make some suitable parents, 
present to all the women visitors. I gather from what I heard that respect 

The name of the infant, given before for the dead and their ( living ) relatives 

birth, is that of a female dead relative or seems to be the main reason for avoiding 

ancestor. In case the progeny belongs the adoption of their names or of having 

to the masculine gender another name is them pronounced within a certain period 

soon substituted. after their death. 

Another peculiarity about the Indians June 26. — A canoe containing nine 
is this: If any one dies his name dies Ekoutl, Bar Jay Sound, Indians has just 
•with him; that is, no one will dare pro- arrived. She attracted our attention from 
nounce it again, especially in the presence quite a distance at sea. Although the 
of relatives, and if any one in the tribe wind was favorable she took in her sail, 
has a name which sounds like that of the when we could hardly see her. She car- 
deceased he will change it at once. ried a flag at her stern and the Indians 

There is something so ludicrous about were paddling as hard as they could, 

this, that today you may know the Next we could hear them sing, and when 

names of all your people, and still six they were quite near shore they stopped 

■months later you are likely to know only paddling, and one of the men, getting 

■one- half of them. Christian names are up, struck up a song in a loud, moaning 

a great improvement, but in giving them tone; then, upon landing, he shouted 

one must be careful to make a proper something to our people, which I was 

choice, as the Indians cannot pronounce afterwards told was the name of our chief, 

all our letters. A boy called " Damien " and gave him a couple of blankets as a 

was the other day asked his name, to present. 

which he replied, without, however. The Hesquiat Indians evidently knew 

showing any signs of anger, " Dam You," the object of the visitors, for, as a rule, 

meaning, of course, to say '• Damien," with all the tribes on the coast, when 

3. French Christian name. strangers arrive at a village, there are al- 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



35 



ways a number of the people who run 
down to the beach, either to welcome 
them or to get the news. 

In the present case, not one of our 
people went to meet the strangers, who 
were now at the landing place. Yet, 
when called upon to go and receive the 
blankets, the chief sent one of the young 
men to fetch them to him. 

After this was done the same spokes- 
man (of the strangers) got up again and 
io the same tone of voice called out the 
name of the second chief and made him 
also a present of a couple of blankets, 
which a messenger went down to the 
beach to take for the second chief. 

This was repeated six times, so that 
all the principal chiefs received a present 
before the men put an end to their 
generosity. 

Some of the Hesquiats, upon hearing 
the name of their sons called out by these 
strangers, got quite excited, and before 
inviting them into their houses also made 
presents to them, which were accepted 
with the usual expression of thanks : 
' •' Tlako ! tlako .'' ' 

It struck me as strange that in all their 
feasts and meetings the parents are not 
mentioned ; that is, if a man invites to a 
feast, it he has an heir he will always ex- 
tend the invitation in the name of that 
heir, and also when presents are given 
they are always given to the heir, even if 
he were only one day old. The parent 
always disappears behind the heir, who in 
all cases comes or stands to the front in 
the estimation of all the Indians on this 
coast. 

The Indians of Ekoutl, Barclay 
Sound, are here with the object of in- 
viting the Hesquiats to a potlach, as the 
peculiar way of their landing here indi- 
cates. This is the first invitation to a 
potlach extended to my Indians since I 
came to the coast. 

A potlach, as I understand it from the 
meaning of the word, is a feast where 
gifts or presents are made, a gift- feast. 
The priests and ministers of all denomi- 
nations condemn the feast, and the 



Dominion Government at their sugges- 
tion has passed a law prohibiting it under 
certain penalties. As for me, I cannot 
see any harm in it, although I would 
rather have it abolished. I had no reason 
therefore of my own, but giving due im- 
portance to the conduct of men longer 
in the ministry than myself, I used all my 
influence to keep my people from going 
to the present gift- feast in Barclay 
Sound. 

As I understand it, a potlach simply 
consists in this : A man, say a chief of a 
certain tribe, after a season of prosperity 
has accumulated a large number of 
blankets — the Indians here have no 
money. He then resolves to invite a 
neighboring tribe to a feast and dis- 
tribute to them according to their rank 
the fruit of his industry — his blankets. 
He privately warns the members of his 
own tribe to be prepared for the recep- 
tion of the tribe which he singles out. 
I'his proposition is approved of, and his 
friends, the principal chiefs, secure the 
necessary provisions, so that when the 
feast is on they can entertain at a meal 
the invited guests. 

The tribe to be invited are also warned 
in due time and afterwards formally 
notified that their presence is expected 
soon after the formal warning. 

The occasion of starting is one of great 
excitement. All the able-bodied men as 
a rule and also a number of women go 
along, and are evidently intent upon 
havingagood, enjoyable time. 

The arrival at the village where they 
are invited is also very exciting. They 
sing and dance in their canoes, the drums 
beat and the muskets are fired off. Mean- 
while the people on shore are also doing 
their best to make a good show, and after 
many different ways of bidding welcome, 
the guests land and are invited by one of 
the chiefs to share his hospitality by tak- 
ing a good meal. 

Immediately after this meal, and more 
frequently before it, the visitors are di- 
vided, for their present quarters during 
the day when disengaged and for sleeping 



36 



X'ancoLiver Island and Its Missions. 



at night, amongst the members of the 
tribe, who take pride in accommodating 
especially those to whom they are in any 
way related. There they are also welcome 
at meals ; but every day during their stay 
one or more of the chiefs or important 
men invite all the strangers to eat in their 
houses where singing, dancing and ex- 
changing gifts and presents are freely in- 
dulged in. 

A potlach or gift feast consists in ex- 
changing presents either with the object 
of gain or of exciting the admiration of 
their fellow- Indians. Sometimes in the 
height of his savage pride an Indian 
makes presents, for doing which he is 
afterwards sorry, especially if an article 
far below the value of the one he has 
himself made a present of is returned. 
Every one seems to speculate either for 
gain or for glory I 

On the fourth or fifth day the feast 
comes to a conclusion by the man who 
has invited the strangers making presents 
to all of them according to their rank or 
their importance; not, however, without 
losing sight of the probability that the 
•one to whom the presents are made will 
•.sometime be able to make an equal re- 
turn to the giver. Herein the potlach 
fails of good, for the old people are almost 
lost sight of and so are orphan children, 
especially those of the female gender. A 
potlach is not an expression of charity, 
but a pure piece of Indian speculation. 

During the festivities, the Indians 
wear their best blankets and keep them- 
selves cleaner than usual, l)ut for their 
dances and games, they have resort to all 
means to make themselves look ugly or 
odd. Their faces painted, their heads 
covered with down, masks of different 
descriptions, bear skins are put on and 
even Chinese queues are worn by the 
younger class of people. 

The festivities come to an end by a 
speech made by the one who invited 
the strangers. These pack their gifts to 
their canoes and the people at home 
resume their usual work and occupations. 

The hospitality shown by our Indians 



to visitors or strangers is quite note- 
worthy. As soon as a canoe of strangers 
arrive at a village they are at once in- 
vited by some of the residents to carry 
their belongings up to their house; a 
meal is prepared for them and lodgings 
are offered. When traveling our people 
take little or no provisions along, for they 
may always reckon upon receiving hospi- 
tality wherever they happen to go on 
shore near an Indian settlement, and 
whatever food is left after their meal, is 
taken to the canoe of the visitors. It is 
used by them on their voyage home and 
remnants are distributed to their friends 
at home, during the partaking of vvhich 
all the news of interest is communicated. 

In their own homes after a successful 
day or season at fishing or hunting in- 
vitations are often sent out to the tribe 
or a part thereof, to come and partake of 
a feast of food, the remnants in all cases 
being carried by the young people to 
the respective homes of the invited guests. 
Before retiring a speech h made by one 
of the principal men, and thanks are duly 
given to the host in the name of those 
who were invited. In all cases the in- 
vited guests occupy a place according to 
their rank. It reminds one very much 
of the customs of the Jews at the time of 
our Lord. 

June 28. — To-day the first funeral ac 
cording to the rites of the Catholic 
Church takes place. A funeral is never a 
very funny affair, still this one seems to 
be an exception, at least as far as I was 
concerned. The Indian died about mid- 
night; as was customary he was put in 
a box or trunk at once, a fact of which 
I was warned by a messenger. I got up 
and told the Indian that the funeral 
could not take place before morning — 
however, that there was no objection to 
having the corpse put outside of the 
Indian house. 

About three o'clock I was again 
aroused. Once more I told the messenger 
to have patience till Mass time, fjut 
about four o'clock there were quite a 
number of messengers. I got up again; 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



37 




YOUNG SUBJECTS OF THE (^UEEN. THREE LITTLE GIRLS AT PLAY. SCHOOL CHILDREN. 

A GROUP. A FAMILIAR COMPANY. 



38 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions, 



by that time the primitive coffin was in 
evidence at the church door. Still, I 
thought it rather unusual to bury the 
dead at four o'clock in the morning, 
hence I postponed again; but when five 
o'clock came there was no use trying to 
l)ut it off any longer. The funeral was 
to take place right then. Quite a num- 
ber of people crowded into the church; 
the coffin was put in the centre, but every 
one faced the coffin, even those in front 
in the church turned their backs to the 
altar. When Mass was over I solemnly 
headed the funeral procession with cross 
and altar boys, reciting the prayers of the 
Ritual, when looking behind me I 
noticed that the savages had taken 
another road with the corpse, in fact they 
had put it into a canoe and were paddling 
across the small bay around which I was 
walking. Still, we arrived ultimately at 
the same spot, but to my dismay there 
was no grave dug. There we siood about 
to bury the dead chief and no grave. 
Shovel and pick were sent for. I took 
off my sur[)lice, began the digging of a 
grave, got an Indian to continue and 
went home and had my breakfast. When 
everything was ready, I went back and 
blessed the grave, and the first Christian 
of this region was laid to rest in con- 
secrated ground. R. I. P. 

I am informed that this Christian 
funeral is tjuite a victory towards break- 
ing up the old pagan customs and super- 
stitions of the Indians of this coast in 
case of sickness and death. First of all, 
because the Indian was really dead when 
he was removed and put into the coffin. 
Many instances are narrated where peo- 
ple have been buried alive. A coasting 
trader told me that when he was sta- 
tioned at Clayoquat a man was put on 
an island where there was a small trad- 
ing post. During the night somebody 
rapped at his door, he got up and there 
stood a naked Indian, the man who had 
been buried the day before. He lived 
two years after his supposed death. The 
strangest part of the story was that the 
Indians who had buried him maintained 



still that the man was dead, and that it 
was a bad spirit that now occupied the 
corpse, or rather the body of the new 
Tazarus. 

Some time ago I was called to see an 
Indian supposed to be dying. What 
was my horror when coming in the house 
I found them tieing together his arms 
and legs and actually preparing to bury 
him alive. 

A young married woman had given 
birth to her first child. She took con- 
vulsions and fainted away. No time was 
lost in putting her in a box, and removing 
her into a cave close to the village. Next 
morning a man went bathing in the 
neighborhood and heard the poor girl cry 
for pity. She was alive . . . and, 
horrible to relate, she was left to die in 
her misery. Her new-born baby soon 
followed her in death, having starved for 
want of food. This happened at Nootka 
I know a man whose son, the father of a 
small family, took suddenly sick through 
exposure ; he seemed to have cramps all 
over his body and became speechless. 
After four or five days the old man or- 
dered a coffin to be made and asked the 
services of three young men — they nar- 
rated this to me themselves with delight — 
to force the sick son into the box ; tliey 
tied him hands and, feet and having him 
well secured they did as they were told 
by the heartless father, and took him out 
into the bush to perish of misery. 
During all this transaction, the unfortu- 
nate fellow groaned and seemed to ask 
them to have pity on him. They were 
inclined to comply with his wishes, but 
they were told : " Never mind, do as I 
tell you; my son is dead, the bad spirit 
has hold of him and makes all this re- 
sistance. " 

Another case came to my notice as 
reported by an eye witness : A middle- 
aged savage was cutting down a tree ; it 
fell unexpectedly and crushed one of his 
legs very badly. He was carried home, 
bled a great deal and at last was pro- 
nounced dead by the " medicine men," 
although every other witness knew that 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



39 



he was only in a faint. Next morning as 
my informant was walking along the beach 
he noticed that one leg stuck through the 
square box into which the body had been 
placed, an evident sign that the man had 
been buried alive, and that in order to 
free himself he had used the sound leg to 
break the side of the box, the injured one 
having been too far destroyed or too 
painful to be used for the purpose. 

In rare instances the Indians mutilate 
the bodies of the dead before removing 
them. One case came to my knowledge. 
A young couple had had several chil- 
dren, but they had all died soon after 
birth. This happened again, and the 
father of the dead child, upon the advice 
of the old people and with the object 
that such a misfortune 
should not happen to him 
again, Hterally broke every 
bone of the legs and arms 
of the dead infant before 
placing it into the cofifin. 

The Indians up to this 
had never buried their dead 
under ground. When it was 
time to remove a corpse, 
they made an opening in 
the side of the house — they 
never took a corpse through 
a door, especially on account 
of the children and younger 
people who, as the savages 
thought, would die in case 
they passed through the 
passage followed by people 
carrying out a corpse. They 
removed the dead through 
an opening made in the wall 
by removing a few of the 
side boards of their houses 
— then they walked if pos- 
sible on the beach below 
high-water mark. If the 
body was placed in a canoe, 
that canoe was afterwards 
destroyed. The bodies were 
removed to only a small 
distance from the village and 
placed in a prominent place 



on the h'mbs of trees ten or twenty feet 
from the ground. There they were fas- 
tened to the body of the trees with strong 
cords made of cedar bark ; afterwards 
they were covered with blankets ; then a 
display was made by hanging blankets all 
around. While this was going on, the 
people in the house, especially the old 
women, gathered everything that had 
belonged to the dead man or woman, 
made a fire outside, threw all the relics 
into it and destroyed whatever was not 
inflammable. 

And now you could hear them in the 
houses cry and lament and utter the most 
unearthly wailings that one can listen to. 

When men of importance die, the 
mourning is general and the scenes that 




MY NURSK IN ILLNESS. 



40 



X'^ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



are enacted go beyond all limits. Those 
of a lower rank are mourned by only 
their own relatives and nearest friends. 

A year later the relatives and friends 
of the deceased walk all in a body to the 
tree where the body has been placed ; 
they open the box and taking out the 
skull they carry it to their house and 
there keep it as a relic. 

The idea is, I am told, to keep it from 
desecration, for the skull of the dead is 
used as a " charm" to be successful as a 
hunter, a warrior or a " medicine man." 
Yet, notwithstanding all the precautions 
that are taken, you can find along the 
streams in the bush different construc- 
tions that have been put up by the na- 
tives where they used to go and pray for 
good luck or success, and there you in- 
variably find the skull of some dead 
Indian ! 

July lo. — I arrived back from a trip 
along the coast with six of the best and 
strongest young men. We were well re- 
ceived by the different tribes and visited 
them all, the Chicklesats being met in a 
small bay near Cape Cook, the extreme 
limit of the Mission of the Sacred Heart 
of which I have charge. 

On our way back we called on the 
Ehattisat Indians living near Tachu. 
There we found Chief Maquinna, being 
on his father's side the chief of this tribe 
and on his mother's side the chief of the 
Nootka or Mowachat peoi^le. 

We were ushered into his lodge by the 
chief himself. His Indian wife, the sis- 
ter of JMatlahaw, the man who shot me, 
received us with evident signs of uneasi- 
ness and shame. However, I spoke to 
her kindly and my Indians also tried to 
make her feel at home. After giving 
Catechism instructions to all the Indians 
present I went outside with the object of 
saying my office, and having retired to a 
certain distance from the camp I felt an- 
noyed to see Maquinna come and join 
me. I found an excuse to send him away 
for a few minutes, and availed myself of 
his absence to walk up a small creek 
where I could say my office without being 



disturbed. When lo! I saw my Hesquiat 
guides run about evidently in a great state 
of excitement They noticed me at last, 
and coming up they told me to quit my 
])lace of refuge and not to go out of their 
sight again. I knew not what they 
meant and followed their advice. When 
night came I prepared myself to lie down 
in the chief's house, who had acted, as it 
struck me then, in a very suspicious way 
in the latter part of the afternoon. 

I went to sleep about lo o'clock and 
expected to have a good night, for I was 
worn out with fatigue and the strong, 
thick smoke of the open fire had almost 
made me blind. Although I was lying 
on the bare boards I dozed off almost at 
once. 

Suddenly I felt an oppression on the 
chest. I awoke and opening my eyes I 
saw the chief's face close to mine. His 
eyes were staring out of their sockets and 
his heavy breath was suffocating. What 
did he want ? What was his intention 
or purpose? 

Next morning, just at daylight, I was 
aroused from my couch by one of my 
crew ; he told me to get up at once as 
quietly as possible and follow him out of 
the ranch. I followed his orders, but 
notwithstanding our precautions we were 
detected. We jumped into our canoe, 
the chief following us in a rage down the 
beach, and abusing my people in most 
insulting language. 

However, no notice was taken. My 
men were at their paddles and they did 
not take a breath till we were several 
miles away ; then looking behind and 
seeing that we were not followed, one of 
them told of our dangerous position the 
day before. 

The chief was going to have me killed 
by one of his men if he could not succeed 
in doing it himself. Then he was going, 
to accuse my guides of having committed 
the murder in order to get even with 
them, for one of the men with me had 
taken to Victoria and delivered to the 
police and authorities the father of Mat- 
lahaw, the would-be murderer, and had 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



41 



there accused the old man of having in- 
cited his son to do the shooting. In 
answer to a question, I was told that such 
a practice is very common with the sav- 
ages of this coast, and that many a war 
has had its origin and cause in false ac- 
cusations of this kind. 

July 16. — Townissim. the iather of 
Matlahaw, arrives in Hesquiat. 

Townissim was the chief of Hesquiat 
and the father of Matlahaw, who was 
acting as his successor. 



together, and to their horror they saw 
only a few paces away the body of a 
dead man at the foot of a large, hollow 
tree. There could be no mistake about 
it ; it was he ! He wore his uniform as 
chief, and a medal presented by the 
Dominion (Government on his breast. 

Horrified, they all retired — gave the 
news to their friends and looked upon, 
the spot as a place to be avoided. How- 
ever, before making this search they had 
already arrested Townissim, the young 




YtiVSC, MARRIED COUl'LES. 



A few days after the man of- war had 
taken me to Victoria the Indians ar- 
ranged a search party, and they had 
promised to take the young chief to the 
authorities of the police department, in 
case he could be found. All the able- 
bodied men took part in it, and having 
started from a certain point they meant 
to walk through the bush for miles 
around. However, they had hardly be- 
gun their work when one of the party 
uttered a cry of alarm. They gathered 



chief's father, and taken him to Victoria. 
They accused him, and not without 
grave reason, that he was at the bottom 
of all the trouble, and that Matlahaw 
had only acted under orders from his 
father. Indeed, previous to the shoot- 
ing, the old man had been seen for three 
successive mornings in close private con- 
versation with his son ; then on the 
morning of the shooting he had left the 
village, even before daylight, taking along 
his grandchild, and had not been seen 



42 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



ever since ; from which the Indians con- 
cluded that the man knew what was go- 
ing to take place, and kept out of the 
way till further developments. 

Hence they had at once begun their 
search for him or for both, when one 
morning noticing the smoke of a camp 
fire at F^ntrance Point, they crossed in 
their canoes and arrested him. 

He was six months in jail in Victoria, 
and then the news that Matlahaw was 
•dead having reached the authorities, he 
was sent back with a caution, and indue 
time arrived in Hesquiat, 

July 25. — Townissim came to my house 
to-day just as quite a number of Indians 
were in my house. I told them to be 
kind to him and at the same time told 
him to show no ill feelings against any- 
body. 

August 23. — Notwithstanding my cau- 
tion, Townissim is inciting the Indians 
against me. I hear that the poor man 
is in dread of being killed by his own 
subjects. Hence, whenever he goes out- 
side of his dwelling, he always carries a 
knife concealed under his blanket. 

September 25. — Good news today. 
The Bishop is on his way to this place 
.and is accompanied by a priest. 

September 29. — Right Rev. C. J- 
Seghers, accompanied by Rev. P. J. 
Nicolaye, arrives in Hesquiat a few min- 
utes before midnight. 

(Jctober i. — Feast of the Holy Rosary. 
The Bishop blesses our new church, the 
first on the west coast of Vancouver 
Island, and places it under the patronage 
of St. Anthony. A procession is organ- 
ized in which participate, besides all the 
Hesquiat Indians, all the Machelats, a 
number of Nootkas, Clayoquats and 
Ahousats. 

October 8. — The Hesquiat chiefs are 
called together and a grant of land is 
made, on which, in the distant future, it 
is proposed to build a substantial church 
and to erect other buildings as circum- 
stances may require. The ground may 
be taken up at once and cultivated. 

October 10. — Reverend Father Nico- 



laye received leave to stay with me during 
the winter. He is supposed to prepare 
himself to take charge of a portion of my 
mission next spring. 

October I 2. — The Bishop leaves on 
the schooner ' 'Alert, ' ' G. Brown captain, 
and returns to Victoria, his visit to the 
Mission having created quite an excite- 
ment amongst the Indians as he has told 
them that they must prepare for baptism. 
I avail myself of the opportunity to com- 
mence preaching against their supersti- 
tion with new zeal and determination. 

But oh ! how far they are from having 
the least idea of Christianity and a Chris- 
tian life. We have a mountain to re- 
move which only God's grace can help 
us to do. 

At this time of the year many of our 
Indians go up the inlets and rivers with 
the object of making new canoes. Up 
on the hillsides or on the lowlands they 
cut down a cedar tree and with a com- 
mon axe cut off a length according to 
the size required for the purposes of the 
canoe, /. r. , sealing, fishing, sea otter 
hunting, or traveling. Then they put 
the proper shape to it, very roughly, 
first outside, then inside. Next they in- 
vite some friends and together they pull 
the clumsy frame to the stream or to the 
ocean and then float it and pull it on 
shore before their houses in the village. 
When otherwise unemployed, especially 
in the early morning and toward evening, 
they use a peculiar hand chisel or adze 
(in old times they used a chisel of stone 
or of horn of the antlers of elk), and 
with wonderful patience they cut off chip 
after chip, till the frame is reduced to 
the proper thickness — say one inch or 
more for the sides and double that much 
for the bottom. Then knot- holes are 
filled up, finishing pieces put in, and 
when all this is done a fire is made 
under the canoe, raised up from the 
ground on blocks, and the bottom is 
rendered perfectly smooth. All the work 
is done without instruments to go by or 
measure ; yet most of these Indian canoes 
are so true and so well shaped and pro- 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



43 



portioned that not even an exper 
could detect the least flaw or imper- 
fection. 

October 22. — All the natives of the 
tribe have come to church to day, even 
those living up the inlet and rivers. 

I make a rule (in church) that all 
the people — men, women and chil- 
dren — must at least wear a shirt, and 
that no one will be admitted into my 
house except he wears a shirt under 
his blanket. After this I show them 
the absurdity of some or their super- 
stitions. 
/ As this is the "salmon season," 

/the old people are as usual preaching 
to the tribe the propriety of con- 
forming with the old established regu- 
ations lest this great article of food 
should leave the neighborhood and 
not come back again in the future. 
For instance, salmon should not be 
cut open with a knife ; it should 
not be boiled in an iron pot, nor 
given as food to dogs or cats. The 

\ bones must be carefully collected and 
thrown into the sea, and under no con- 
sideration must it be given to any white 
man, including the priest, lest he pre- 
pare it in lard or a frying pan. It should 
not be taken to the houses in baskets, 
but carefully carried one in each hand. 
These and many other details will show 
what an amount of absurdities were in 
these people' s minds. They were in utter 
darkness without the light of the Gospel. 

It is almost humiliating to have to say 
that this and hke matters formed to- 
day the subject of my sermon, and that 
it created quite a revolution in the 
camp. In fact, it had the effect of my 
presence here becoming a cause of 
alarm and a matter of regret on the part 
of the full grown men and women in the 
village. 

November i — For some time the In- 
dians in discussing with me their customs 
and beliefs have been talking about a 
mountain said to be inhabited by a ghost 
or spirit. It seems to be the main prop of 
their creed, and it struck me that if I could 




FOND OF THE CAMERA. 

not prove this to be a traud, I could not 
hope to uproot the rest of their super- 
stitions. Hence I resolved to visit the 
mountain so often spoken about, and 
show them that they had been deceived 
by their forefathers. 

According to the legend, nine men 
have died on the top of that mountain 
through entering a cave, the home of the 
ghost, without having first made the 
requisite preparations. Some of those 
preparations are, to be fasting during 
ten days, and to abstain from all 
relations with the other sex during ten 
months. The natives here, be it no- 
ticed, have an immense idea of con- 
tinence and they attribute to the fact of 
my vow of chastity that when their 
chief shot me I was not killed on the 
spot. Hence, in preparation for their 
wars, their hunting parties and every 
undertaking of great importance they 
keep or pretend to keep strictly con- 
tinent. 

The legend continues that only one 
man has entered the home of the ghost ; 
and that he used to do so every year. 
In consequence of which he was most 



44 



\'ancouver Island antl Its Missions. 



successful in the whale hunt, an average 
catch being ten whales per season. 

His nine brothers begged of him one 
day to be allowed to accompany him on 
the hazardous expedition. After using 
every means to dissuade them and see- 
ing that still they would insist, he at last 
complied with their request and the ten 
travelled together to the top of the 
mountain. The hero of the expedition 
insisted that the brothers should enter 
first into the cave, the supposed home 
of the ghost. One after the other 
entered as he was told ; the tenth was 
just about to do so, too, when all of a 
sudden the entrance closed up and re- 
mained closed till the nine unfortunate 
men had been torn to pieces and de- 
voured by animals the size of a mink. 
The hero of the story reported what had 
happened upon his arrival in the camp 
and ever since that time the cave on the 
mountain has been looked upon as a 
famous and sacred spot. The report 
adds that as soon as anybody approaches 
the top of the mountain pieces of rocks 
and pebbles are thrown at the visitor and 
the ghost is heard to groan from a dis- 
tance. This it also does when a severe 
easterly storm approaches. 

Having been obliged to manifest my 
plan in order to secure a crew to carry 
me to the foot of the famous mountain, 
and, if willing, to accompany me to the 
top thereof, I meet with general disap- 
and probation from the tribe. x\ll the im- 
portant men put their strength together 
and are determined to prevent me from 
carrying out my plan. Consequently they 
come to my house and by violent ges- 
ticulations and with shouts declare that 
I cannot go ; that no Indians shall ac- 
company me; that if I do go I am sure 
not to come back alive. Two young men 
who had promised to accompany me are 
deterred from doing so. Only one in- 
trepid fellow keeps his promise. The 
Indians threaten to kill him in case he 
does not bring me back ahve. Seeing 
that all their efforts to prevent me are 
useless, the Indians retire full of dissatis- 



faction and anger, assured that I will 
perish in the attempt, and subsec^uently 
that my fellow white men will blame them 
for having been indirectly the cause of 
my death. 

Late in the evening an old man, in 
order to make up for the conduct of his- 
son, who after having promised to ac- 
company me, had afterwards backed out, 
brings word that he himself will be a 
member of our party — and adds that he 
will take along an axe to knock the 
ghost (poke) on the head ! 

November 2. — After offering up the 
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass I warned the 
Indians that I would leave at once, and 
that I hoped that no further resistance 
would be made. I took along Father 
Nicolaye who was very anxious to ac- 
company us. 

We arrived at noon at the foot of the 
famous mountain (3,000 feet high), 
called by the natives, "Kwoah-all." 
We experienced very little or no diffi- 
culty in ascending it, for it is clear of 
brushwood and covered only thinly with 
cedar trees, some of which are remark- 
able for their size. At four o'clock we 
were at the foot of an immense bluff 
which crowns the mountain and which 
to the southeast is of a dark red color. 
According to the report of the Indians, 
this mysterious cave is southeast of the 
bluff. Without losing any time we 
wended our way in that direction. Mean- 
while our guides began to make the re- 
mark that they heard no noise, that no 
pebbles or rocks were thrown at us : 
which gave them such courage that they 
were determined to find the cave, if 
there was any, even at the risk of their 
lives ! But our search which lasted sev- 
eral hours was in vain ; and after trav- 
eling till dark on and around the bluff 
without finding any mysterious opening 
or cave, we concluded that we would 
look for a good camping place, and re- 
turn home next morning, and report 
that, as we knew beforehand, the story 
of the nine dead men and the ten 
whales is an Indian yarn. Just before- 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



45 



retiring for the night one of the Indians 
ascended to the summit of the moun- 
tain and fired off the two barrels of his 
gun to arouse as he said the ghost from 
his lethargy in case he should be asleep. 
The report of the gun was heard by sev- 
eral Hesquiat Indians who were camped 
three miles away from the foot of the 
mountain. 

We enjoyed ourselves capitally on the 
top of the famous mountain. We spent 
a most pleasant night around a large fire 
which our guides had started and which 
they kept going till morning. However, 
we suffered considerably for the want of 
water as none can be found beyond 
midway of the large mountain. 

November 3. — Our descent from the 
mountain, which we commenced at day- 
light, was very pleasant till we came 
within an hour's walk from the water's 
edge. Then we stood before precipices 
frightully deep which delayed our return 
home for several hours, as we had repeat- 
edly to return on our tracks and find 
other paths. At last we arrived at the 
spot where we had left our canoe the 
day before with no other mishap save 
that my Newfoundland dog, which we 
had taken along as a bodyguard, had 
fallen into one of the ravines men- 
tioned above and could not be gotten out. 

We arrived at the mission about dusk. 
Our mission flag was hoisted at the stern 
of our canoe as a sign of victory of the 
Cross over pagan superstitions. Upon 
our landing no Indians could be seen 
outside of the houses ; only one man 
came to meet us. He was a young 
fellow who had backed out of his prom- 
ise to accompany us the day before, and 
upon seeing us come home alive the first 
remark which he made was to the effect 



that now he was convinced that the In- 
dian belief and legends were pure inven- 
tions. 

November 4. — Great excitement and 
confusion. I had no visitors to-day. 

November 5. — This being Sunday 
quite a number were at Mass. I availed 
myself of the opportunity to speak again 
against their superstitions and bring in a 
few items about our trip to the moun- 
tain, and finished by exhorting them to 
abandon their old Indian, pagan belief. 

After Mass one of the chiefs invites 
the tribe to his house, where speeches 
are made by all the most influential men, 
who exhort their friends to hold on to 
the old faith and pagan customs. In 
proof of their being on the side of truth 
they give as a proof the loss of my New- 
foundland dog. The priest was not hurt 
and came back alive because he is a 
bachelor and continent. 

November 6. — Having sent a couple 
of Indians to look after my dog, with the 
promise of a pair of blankets in case they 
can bring him back alive, the brute is 
brought home in sound condition. 

The Indians say very little, but I no- 
tice that their minds are not calm. 

November 10.— It is reported that the 
leaders of the tribe are using all means 
in their power to keep their influence 
over the people, and are making speech 
after speech to the young men to stick to 
the old practices. 

I am having a great time here. I no- 
ticed before now that when the Bishop 
appointed me to come to this coast I 
was getting charge of a great parish. 
Their superstitions are so numerous and 
so absurd that they are almost incredi- 
ble. Just think of it! they won't al- 
low us again to have any salmon for fear 









:%^ ^^ 


ti - - ;v.»'.;--«;^ify'^'-'' .^^ ^'';"- :;•*"" "^'~^ 


— 


k -*-,««^BH- JBBBIIWfcW™" 





46 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



that I might fry it in lard, or boil it in 
an iron pot ! I will get the better of 
them anyway — to-morrow I will go out 
fishing myself, if the weather permits. 

November ii. — I asked a couple of 
boys to come with me and have a canoe 
ride on the bay. I took along a line 
and a spoon bait. Before speaking of my 
good luck I must first state that yester- 
day I had sent a young man for a salmon 
and had paid three fishhooks for it. The 
owner of the salmon was out at the time, 
so the messenger simply told the woman 
in the house that he was taking one of 
the " sacred" fish for the priest and in 
due time he gave it to me. However, 
when the owner of the salmon came 
home he was told that one was missing. 
He at once called three of his friends to 
accompany him to my house, and seeing 
the now famous salmon about to pass 
under the knife, he sprang forward, took 
it away and throwing to me the three fish- 
hooks he went his way growling. 

This upset me so much that, as said 
above, I resolved to go out fishing my- 
self. 

As soon as I got away from shore with 
my boys I threw out a line and spoon- 
bait, when lo ! after a few minutes we 
caught a fine large salmon. I did not 
care to get any more and so I returned 
to the village. 

Upon landing, I called the dog and 
putting the salmon into a basket, which 
mode of carrying such fish was against 
the rules, the brute took the basket 
up and preceded me home. Of course 
no Indian would attempt to molest the 
large, faithful animal, (^uite a number 
of men and chiefs assembled in my 
house, and protested against my using a 
knife or frying-pan. I took no notice 
of their protestations and proceeded 
with my work, my only aim being to 
show that their superstitions were absurd 
and to try by all and every means to get 
them to give them up. 

November 14. — A young man, Claw- 
ish, has gone out to the inlet, a great 
place for salmon, and proposes to let us 



have some in spite of the opposition ot 
the tribe. 

Toward evening a couple of young 
men come to the house with some 
salmon. I notice that the head is cut 
off, and the fish split open — perhaps too 
the fish is not fresh. I send them oft 
with my compliments, for I have been 
told that the superstitious observances 
are only applied in the case of fresh 
salmon not yet beheaded or cut open. 

November 20. — Clawish brings us a 
supply of fresh salmon. It is easy to 
notice the feelings of indignation of the 
old people, but they are atraid to do 
more than make a few remarks of re- 
monstrance, owing to the presence ot 
seven white men, who have just arrived, 
and propose to go prospecting to Mache- 
lat Arm for gold, and on our peninsula 
for coal. 

At a meeting of the tribe the chief 
speakers predict famine for the rest of 
the winter. 

November 25.— After a spell of 
stormy weather the sea has become calm 
and the Indians have gone out fishing. 
The salmon is abundant — hundreds of 
the large fish are brought to the camp. 

November 30. — A second meeting of 
the chiefs took place last night. When 
everyone was in bed one of the chiefs 
sent a messenger to awaken all the in- 
ferior chiefs and call them to his house. 
The great subject anent the salmon was 
discussed, most of the men inclining to 
give up the superstitions and make peace 
with the " priest." 

"Tom-Sick Lepieds," a famous old 
cripple, and a notorious thief and rascal, 
is arrested by the local Indian police- 
men. He is accused and found guilty of 
stealing an old blanket, a piece of to- 
bacco and one yard of Indian beads. 
He was condemned by the chief con- 
stable to pay a fine of two new 
blankets, within one week from date. 
If not paid within the time mentioned, 
Tom is to return to the courtroom of 
the Mission- house, and submit to having^ 
his hair cut off and his head shaven.. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



47 



The theft was committed during Mass 
on the occasion of the blessing of the 
church. 

December 5. — I went to Barclay 
Sound with six men in an Indian 
canoe, according to orders received 
from His Lordship, Bishop Seghers. 
I made arrangements with the Indians 
of that Sound, about establishing a 
mission. The spot which 1 selected 
is Namukamis, the property of the 
Ohiat Indians. 

Upon my arrival here early in the 
morning, we noticed quite a number 
of people sitting before the houses as is 
their wont. 

One of them got up and made a 
speech. My guides told me that he 
was insulting us and objected to our 
landing ; that they wanted no priest 
and could take care of themselves 
without the help of the white men. 

We had noticed on our travels that 
the Indians on this coast have a horror of 
having what they say written down. So 
I quietly took a pocketbook and pre- 
tended to write down the gist of the 
savage's speech. Whereupon he stopped 
at once and disappeared behind one of 
the houses. We then quietly landed, 
were invited to enter the lodge of the 
chief, and were kindly received by him 
and his family. 

All the Indians assembled in the chiefs 
large house about noon, and after bap- 
tizing the newly born children I explained 
to the meeting the object of my visit. 

The Indians rejoiced at the idea of 
having a resident priest in their neigh- 
borhood and the chief told us so in a neat 
speech, adding that we could have all the 
land we required for the purpose, and 
make our own selection as to locality. 

December 21. — Upon my return home 
Rev. Father Nicolaye reports everything 
orderly in Hesquiat. 

December 26. — We had midnight 
Mass. Nearly all the men of the tribe 
were present, but only very few women. 
At midnight Mass, which I sang myself, 
I preached on the mystery of the day. 




AN INDIAN HOUSE AND SOME OF ITS TENANTS. 

December 27. — The young men, I 
am reliably informed, are all, with very 
iew exceptions, doing the " oseniecli." 

The oseniecli (or osenietcli) is a 
religious practice resorted to by all the 
Indians of this coast, and is considered 
to be of the greatest importance and 
necessity. It is a mode of praying, trans- 
mitted from one generation to another. 

After infjuiries made of different indi- 
viduals I discovered that the Indians da 
not all have the same way of performing 
this religious practice. Yet they all 
consider it necessary as a preparation for 
everything of great importance, be it the 
hunt, the war, or the like. 

They address a mysterious being — 
one they call " Wa-we-meme," wha 
dwells over the mountains — to him they 
pray for whales, sea-otters, seals, bears 
and the like. 

Kwa-yetsmimi is the favorite of the 
medicine men, and all the people have 
recourse to him for health. 

We'a Kwaitliume, to be strong and 
successful at war — to be brave and over- 
come their enemies. 

They have also one whom they ad- 



48 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



dress to give them abundance of fish and 
is called W'awitt-illsois. 

When the sun rises and just before he 
sets, young mothers pray to that orbit for 
a happy delivery at child-birth. One of 
the main rules to be observed is to go 
inside the house just before sundown and 
not to go out again for fear of harm. 
The moon is also prayed to. But one 
man told me that his uncle who initiated 
him, made him pray to a being — not 
mentioning the name or locality of its 
existence — who had it in its power to give 
him sea-otters, seals, etc. 

When they are at sea in bad or dan- 
gerous weather they pray to a queen 
"Wakoui'' — in. above or beyond the 
seas. They ascribe to her the heaving or 
swelling of the waves. Then they shout 
out to her asking her to cause the waves 
to calm down. 

With some Indians the ''oseniecli" 
is a very severe performance. They 
fast four days, are up at night and 
dive in the sea four times each night, 
four different times at a turn, and as they 
rise above the waves, they speak out in 
shout-like utterances asking for sea-otters 
or the like that they may become rich 
or big chiefs. Others have only two 
nights on the sea, and they confine 
themselves to swimming ■ and praying 
as above. Others again do not take to 
the salt water at all. 

But bathing in fresh water is required 
by all and in all cases — by some, four 
days; others, only two — however, every 
one goes in turn apart from the tribe and 
ithe company of his friends to pray. 
As a rule the savage goes to the woods, 
strips naked alongside of a stream or a 
clear pool of water and then rubs his 
body with a kind of grass, of brushwood 
or roots, leaving in many cases the 
marks on his body and not seldom 
drawing blood from his cheeks and 
chest. The number of bunches of this 
"charm" varies according to the in- 
structions received from the one by 
whom he has been initiated. During all 
the time that he rubs his body and mem- 



bers thereof he constantly re|)eats in 
short shout-like accents a formula of 
prayer expressing the object he prays for, 
be it sea-otters, seals, health, l)ravery 
or what not. 

You will often find in the neighbor- 
hood of where the Indian goes to pray 
a skeleton, launches of charms, of weeds 
put together in a bunch and also small 
cedar sticks put up to represent a man 
with a spear in his hands aimed at a 
bunch of fern-roots or the like, repre- 
senting a fur seal. 

Then the savage has in his house his 
own medicine (charm), which he keeps 
sacred and uses as circumstances, in his 
opinion, call for. He keeps them from 
the view of other Indians, hides them 
with care and only in extreme cases, 
such as the dangerous sickness of a child, 
does he make a display of them. One 
of our Indians the other day, either 
through pride or with some other object 
in view, perhaps the appeasing of the 
bad spirit who was in his sick little boy, 
exposed his " charms " before all those 
present in his house — the subject was 
very much talked about. 

The charms which the Indians keep 
concealed are the bones of dead people, 
also hair, nails of the hands, beaks of 
birds, feathers, etc., etc. 

I know an Indian who went sealing the 
other day, and as he left he opened the 
coffin of an old woman, cut or plucked 
out one or both of her eyes, put them in 
his pocket and when he arrived at the 
sealing ground he took them in his hands 
and rubbed his face with them in the re- 
gion of his eyes as a means to best clear 
them and discover from a great distance 
the seals as they were sleeping on the 
waves. 

When the Indians do the "oseniecli" 
they have recourse to a great many ways 
besides those mentioned above ; but they 
all amount to very much the same thing 
and can all be ranked under the name of 
superstitious practices. The old people 
preach strict continence to the young 
men ; and none, who do not live apart 



\^ancoiiver Island and Its Missions. 



49 



from their wives, can expect to be suc- 
cessful in the pursuit of whales or fur 
seals. As a preparation the time limit is 
ten months for whales and five calendar 
months for fur seals. This mode of living 
is only to be given up when the hunting 
season is at an end. 

In order to avert evil the Indians have 
recourse to different means. On the occa- 
sion of an eclipse I have known them 
to throw baskets of food into the sea, at 
the same time utterino- a formula of 



Hesquiat Indians, who, coming from the 
inlet, brought the news of chief Nitaska's 
death. Nitaska, although not the head 
chief of the tribe, was considered as 
the most influential man here and was 
renowned all along the coast. He was a 
fine orator. 

At the request of the messengers we 
rang the church bell and in a few min- 
utes nearly all the men of the tribe were 
at the mission buildings. 

The excitement was immense. The 




IS OUriJOOR COSTUMES. 



prayer. I have also in unfavorable weather 
at sea, seen them throw food on the 
waves ; heard them blow a whistle which 
they use on the occasion of the " wolf" 
festivities. After a bad dream about a 
child, the parents of the child paint its 
face red, burn a blanket, calico, prints or 
something of the kind to appease the bad 
spirit or their divinity. 

January lo, 1877. — About midnight 
we were called up by about half a dozen 



shouting and the unearthly cries of the 
people at this unusual hour of the night 
frightened both women and children. 

Directly, speeches began to follow the 
first excitement. They all amounted to 
the same sentiment: " Nitaska is not 
dead, for he has children." The man is 
supposed to have been swamped as he 
passed in his canoe too close to a well- 
known whirlpool, where several Indians 
are said to have been drowned. 



50 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



January ii. — Nitaska's death is a 
great event in this region. All the tribe 
are crying and general gloom hangs over 
tne village. The dead man was evidently 
a great favorite and very much liked. 

As for us, we consider his death almost 
a blessing for our work. The man's in- 
fluence was too great and he was inclined 
to work against us as regards the conver- 
sion of the people. 

The Indians say that his body is not in 
the salt water because, if it were in the 
sea, there would not be any herring, 
whereas to-day there are immense schools 
of the fish up the inlet. 

Availing themselves of the state of 
mind of the Indians, three medicine- 
women go into trances and predict the 
death of the second chief of the tribe. 
This gives his parents considerable un- 
easiness. 

This, I am told, is an old dodge of that 
class of impostors. Their object is to 
get presents from the relatives or parents 
of those whose death they predict — which 
being given, death does not occur! 

January 24. — One medicine-woman 
caused a deal of excitement in the tribes 
this morning. She just came out of the 
tent, her head covered with down, danc- 
ing and shaking her head as one who has 
fits, and meanwhile spitting out mouth- 
fuls of blood. In this state she rushes 
into the homes of the three first chiefs, 
predicts death for the sons of the fami- 
lies and causes general alarm. One of 
the families gives her a blanket, another 
abladderof whale oil; l)ut the third, more 
sensible than the others, takes no notice 
of her doings. At last she retires, to 
the great relief of the credulous. 

January 27. — One Indian having died 
after a few days of sickness, the cause of 
his death is explained as follows : his 
dog (the dead man's dog) was a few days 
previous sleeping alongside of his mas- 
ter. At daylight the dog went outside 
and began to howl. . . A few days later 
the man took sick and soon died. Hence 
the cause of his death is ascribed to the 
howlintj of the dog. 



January 28. — Subsequent to the 
drowning of Nitaska a short time ago, 
Townissim, the father of the would-be 
murderer, Matlahaw, got into unexpected 
trouble. Nitaska was the leader of a crew 
who had taken the old chief Townissim 
to the police authorities in ^'ictoria. He 
was a rival of the first chief, Townissim, 
and had been instrumental in capturing 
him and removing him to jail. 

The old people ever since the death ot 
their favorite, Nitaska, felt very 
morose, and some of the most wicked 
spread the news and attributed the acci- 
dent to the fact that chief Townissim, 
ever since his return from Youil, had 
constantly prayed for the death of Ni- 
taska. Hence they secretly resolved to 
kill him ! But secrets among Indians 
are likely to leak out, and so it happened 
in this case. 

The plan for killing Townissim was 
very simple. A day was determined, a 
Sunday after High Mass. A feast was 
announced to take place in one of the 
houses; all the Indians were to be pres- 
ent; whilst they would be eating, a 
daring old warrior was to get up without 
warning and stab the old chief; that was 
to be a signal for others to get up and 
stab him to death. 

Just before Mass a young Indian, a 
relative of the chief, walked into my house 
downhearted and looking despondent. 
He told me about the events that were to 
take place and pleaded for my interfer- 
ence. I sent for the old chief and cau 
tioned him against going to the enter- 
tainment. I need hardly add that he 
strictly followed my instructions. 

Next I sent for the man ( Tsokwit) 
who was to commit the murder and put 
him on his guard. He did not deny his 
evil intentions and that of the tribe. 
But after a good deal of reasoning he 
promised that he would not commit the 
crime. However, the old chief more than 
ever abstained from going out alone after 
dark. And then, whether day or night, 
he always carried a weapon concealed 
under his clothes. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



51 



March i. — -Ever since the beginning 
of last month, with the exception of the 
last three days, the Indians have been 
unable to go out fishing and have suf- 
fered very much from hunger. This 
circumstance I made use of to make the 
Indians understand that the idea that 
chiefs will send food — whales or fish — to 
their relatives from the other world after 
their death was absurd. Nitaska was a 
great chief and yet sent no whale or food 
to his starving Hesquiat relatives. I 
am almost losing patience and use every 
opportunity to impress on their minds 
the idea that they will have to renounce 
their old pagan belief. 

March 8. — There arrived here last 
night four Kyuquot men on a very im- 
portant errand. As they walked into 
our Indian room, they presented a most 
alarming appearance. Their faces were 
painted black with a red circle around 
their eyes. Their only covering was a 
piece of blanket around their waist and 
in their hands they held Indian muskets 
pointed as if ready for shooting. They 
were followed by a number of my Hes- 
quiat Indians, who were suspicious of 
evil designs on the part of the visitors, 
and were prepared for any 'emergency. 
One of the strangers, acting as spokes- 
man, placed the butt of his gun on the 
floor and held it with one hand whilst 
with the other he made indescribable 
gestures. Then his chest began to heave, 
and, panting for breath, he at last spoke 
out in a loud coarse voice. He had big 
news to tell. His son, a lad whom I 
knew well, was missing. The report had 
it that whilst on his way from Puget 
Sound to his home in Kyuquot, his 
canoe had capsized when off one of the 
Nittinat villages at the entrance of the 
Straits of Fuca. Thence, having reached 
shore alive, he and three of his compan- 
ions had traveled on foot with the object 
of reaching one of the Ohiat villages near 
Barclay Sound. This was only a report, 
but the speaker, the father of the young 
man and a very influential man at home, 
was of opinion that by this time his 



young son was with the Ohiat Indians. 
This idea seemed to have a great effect 
on the state of his mind. However, he 
added that, if his son had been maltreated 
by the Nittinat Indians or killed by them, 
two hundred warriors of the Kyuquot 
tribe would come on the warpath and 
avenge the death of the young chief. 

The four men here now are a de- 
tachment of a crew of twenty men now 
camped at Vamis and detained by 
head winds. They intend to walk back 
to the spot where they left their friends 
and then sail to the Nittinat coast, as 
soon as the weather allows. 

March 20th. — This day is marked by 
a welcome change in the condition of 
the natives. Since the 5th of the month, 
the Indians had been unable to go fish- 
ing and had very little food in their 
houses. They were actually starving and 
their little children crying for food. You 
can see the misery on the faces of both 
old and young. The oldest people 
assert that within their memory they 
have never been in such a state of dis- 
tress. To-day, the weather being fine, 
an abundance of herrings and salmon 
are brought to the camp. 

As regards the spiritual state of the 
tribe it is worse than ever. They blame 
me for the absence of food. They 
laugh at the doctrine which I teach. I 
gain nothing by making the sign of the 
Cross. I am neither a white man nor 
an Indian. I am the (Chig-ha) devil ! 

March 25. — This day, Palm Sunday, 




YOUNG INDIAN MOTHER. 



52 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



Rev. Father Nicolaye left after Mass 
for Barclay Sound (Ucluliat), there to 
join a schooner which is soon expected 
to sail from thence to Victoria. Com- 
plaints of illness are the cause of his 
departure. I am under the impression 
that the poor father is not really sick, 
but is sick at heart to see the dis- 
couraging state of affairs here. And 
indeed our position would almost make 
an angel lose heart and courage. Soli- 
tude, we have not seen a white man 
since October ; we have not received 
any mail for several months ; our pro- 
visions are nearly all gone and what 
remains is of the poorest kind. And 
our Indians are as bad, and as much 
attached to their pagan ideas and 
superstitions as before we commenced 
our work and took up our residence 
here. Father Nicolaye left me. God 
bless the poor man and restore him to 
health ! 

I am now again alone with not a 
friend to speak to ! 

March 30. — There is some rejoicing 
in the camp since this morning, when a 
canoe of visitors brought the news that 
there was scarcity of provisions and a 
great deal of distress in all the villages 
on the coast. AVhen our Indians meet 
with misfortune they always feel much 
relieved when they hear that others of 
their class have met with misfortune also. 
Hence, my people feel good to-day, be- 
cause they have not alone suffered for 
want of provisions, but other tribes 
have fared as badly as they themselves. 
April 28. — Rev. Father Nicolaye ar- 
rived back from Victoria about midnight 
per Indian canoe. He seems to be com- 
pletely recovered. 

He brought orders from the Bishop 
that I must leave at once and report in 
the episcopal city, where a synod is to be 
held. 

The canoe which brought the father 
took me to Clayaquot where I found the 
schooner "Anna Beck," Douglas A\'ar- 
ren in command. 

May 15. — I arrived back at the mission 



to-day about noon. With the exception 
of Father Nicolaye all the priests of the 
diocese were present at the synod. 

May 20. — To-day, Pentecost Sunday, 
all the Indians are at Mass, save three 
men and a few women. As I had told 
them on Easter Sunday that I would call 
on this day for the names of those who 
would be baptized, I received ninety-four 
men and women on the list of candidates 
for baptism. It is evident that the move- 
ment is too general to be worthy of con- 
fidence. All the medicine-men and 
women offer themselves as candidates 
for instruction as a preparation for the 
sacrament of regeneration. 

January 5, 1878. — I arrived here 
yesterday from Namukamus, Barclay 
Sound, where I had been since the 24th 
of last August, superintending the build- 
ing of a new mission to be dedicated to 
Almighty God, under the patronage of 
St. Leo the Great. 

Before leaving for the Vukon River, 
Alaska Territory, the Right Rev. C. J. 
Seghers commissioned me to go and 
superintend the building of the new 
mission. Consequently I left Hescjuiat 
at the end of July, and went to ^'ictoria 
in order to make the necessary prepara- 
tions and engage a reliable carpenter. 
Rev. Father Nicolaye, for whom the new 
mission was to be built, remained mean- 
while in Hesquiat, and attended to my 
Indians and work there. 

I left Victoria on the schooner 
"Favorite," Hugh McKay captain, on 
the 23d of August, accompanied by a 
French-Canadian carpenter called Mor- 
rin, and arrived the next day in a small 
bay on Copper Island opposite the Sarita 
Valley and river. From there we went 
and carried in canoes our provisions and 
tools, and selected a spot for the build- 
ings close to the Namukamus Village. 

Our first work was to put up a small 
cabin, 12x12 feet. This was to be our 
residence for over four months. The 
walls of our cabin were made of flooring, 
the roof of flooring and the floor was 
mother-earth. As it happened, the 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



53 



weather turned out to be very moist. 
For three months we were hving as if in 
a cloud ; it rained day and night. It soon 
appeared that our roof was not close, the 
water freely streaming through the crev- 
ices, and as the wind occasionally blew 
quite lively, we soon found out that our 
walls were not much of a protection 
against the dampness of the season. Our 
cabin was built on a slope and the water 
streaming from the hill 
above found its way to the 
Pacific Ocean over our un- 
covered floor. No wonder 
that our carpenter would 
make the remark now and 
again: "that only for our 
strong constitutions we 
could not stand it. ' ' 

My work was to look 
after the Indian laborers 
and do the cooking. We 
had a bunk on each side of 
the cabin, a stove in the 
middle, and a small table 
and a bench at the end of 
the room. Under the 
bunks we stowed our pro- 
visions — bacon, potatoes, 
rice and beans. The flour 
we kept in a small barrel as 
a protection from the mice 
which infested our odd 
dwelling. I made bread as 
often as required. The In- 
dians we fed on biscuit and 
molasses. One morning, 
having neglected to cover the bucket in 
which we kept our molasses over night, 
I found twenty- four mice drowned in the 
sweet stuff. I carefully picked them out, 
unseen by the Indians, who afterward 
continued to enjoy their molasses and 
biscuit as if nothing had happened. The 
Indians, unaccustomed to a white man's 
food, enjoyed their fare immensely. The 
carpenter also was satisfied Avith my culi- 
nary efforts, and altogether we had rather 
a pleasant time. 

We squared the logs for the new build- 
ing which was 64x26 feet; twenty feet 



being walled off for the residence of the 
priest in charge. Vhe work of the Indi- 
ans consisted in cutting down the trees, 
next picking them with their axes, and 
after the carpenter had finished squaring 
them, taking them down to the site of 
the building. We found all the timber 
which we required on the spot. We 
even made the shingles ourselves — and 
with the exception of the flooring and 




JHREE MACHF.LAT MAIDKNS. 

window cases no lumber was used from 
the saw mills. It was slow work, yet it 
was pleasant to see a lot of wild men at 
work and to hear from morning till night 
the noise of the axe or hammer in this 
wild part of the world. 

I said the first Mass in the new build- 
ing on Christmas Day, and Rev. Father 
Nicolaye having arrived at his new resi- 
dence on New Year's Eve, I left on the 
second day of the year for Hesquiat in 
the canoe which had brought my former 
assistant to his new field of labor. 

From the beginning of this year all the 



54 



\'anc()u\er Island and Its Missions. 



Indians of Barclay Sound and down to 
Port San Juan inclusive will be attended 
to from St. Leo's Mission, of which Rev. 
P. J. Nicolaye is the first resident pastor. 
Before taking charge of his new mis- 
sion of Barclay Sound, Rev. Father Nic- 
olaye gave me a short account of the 
conduct of the Hescjuiat Indians during 
my five-months' absence, of which the 
following is a synopsis. 

He continued to preach Sunday after 
Sunday against the Indians' superstitious 
worship and the Indian medicine-men. 
He toid them that none could expect to be 
baptized except they would first abandon 
their superstitious practices. In a mo- 
ment of fervor forty men and women 
resolved to comply with the conditions 
and gave in their names. Before ten 
days had elapsed ten of the number had 
transgressed the rules. In a few days 
more, sickness having broken out in the 
settlement, recourse was freely had to 
the medicine-men and women. In 
short, when he left for his new mission 
only seven had remained faithful. The 
struggle between good and evil is very 
great. The old people are most de- 
termined to frustrate our plans of con- 
verting the tribe. Two of them— Esko- 
wit and Eagakom — have declared that 
they will kill the priest in case their sons 
come to die with sickness without having 
consulted the medicine-men or women 
— that is, if they have acted at the insti- 
gation of the priest. 

A young man — Nagokwit — one day 
entered the house and began to abuse 
Father Nicolaye. Next he raised his 
hand to strike the Father, but he was 
pushed back and prevented from carry- 
ing out his design by some friendly In- 
dians who happened to be present. 

January 15. — On the feast of the 
Epiphany very few Indians were at 
Hesquiat, almost all the tribe being at 
the time fishing at the head of the inlet. 
The weather being better last Sunday 
all the men came to Hesquiat to at- 
tend church ; there were also (^uite a 
number of women. 



It is evident that the people would 
like to be good and become Christians, 
but their prejudices are too strong yet 
and their superstitions too deeply rooted. 
I notice that the leaders against us and 
those who follow their instructions most 
closely are ashamed of themselves ; most 
of them keep out of my way alto- 
gether. 

The (cw who are preparing for bap- 
tism are young men and three young 
women. The old people are once more 
holding up their old superstitions as re- 
gards the winter salmon. There was a 
row on account of some of the most rea- 
sonable threatening to use their iron pot 
as a utensil for boiling fresh salmon. 

January 22. — A dead whale was found 
on the beach this side of Estevan Point. 
It is cut up by the natives who reside 
here at this time of year — every one helps 
himself the best way he can — almost all 
the chiefs and the rightful owners of a 
share of the big fish are absent at the 
inlet — these, upon hearing the news of 
the stranding of the fish hurry to Estevan 
Point, but find that very little is left for 
them. This greatly enrages them and 
trouble is imminent. However, they con- 
fine themselves to going from house to 
house and taking away all the blubber 
they come across. This amounted to 
very little, for the thieves had concealed 
the principal part of their booty in the 
bush with the expectation of fetching it 
home when the excitement is over. 

January 25. — I am informed that most 
of the blubber of the famous whale is now 
being boiled and the oil pressed out 
away in the bush. 

March i. — Since the middle of Janu- 
ary there has been great scarcity of food. 
Owing to the easterly gales which 
commenced last October and which 
havenotbeen interrupted by fair weather 
except for a few days about New Year's, 
the Indians all along the coast have been 
unable to go out fishing. As the natives 
of this coast have no food except fish, 
and several tribes had been unable to 
lay in a provision of dry salmon last 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions, 



55 



season, it follows that those tribes are 
almost starving — and all, without excep- 
tion are very hard up. The second chief 
of the tribe, a nice young fellow, came 
to my house to day, about noon. He 
told me in a pathetic tone that my dog 
had entered his house and had taken 
away a piece of whale blubber, the only 
food there was left for him and his pa- 
rents, and asked me to lend him some 
flour so that they might have a decent 
meal for a day or two. I'he flour was 
given with a good heart and the poor 
fellow went away rejoicing. I lind it 
very hard and painful to see the suffer- 
ings of these people for want of food. 

March 3. — The state of the weather 
becomes more satisfactory and the In- 
dians avail themselves of it to go out 
fishing. Any amount of salmon is 
caught in the inlet and at Hesquiat. 

The superstitions are as strong as last 
year. The old people are desperate and 
most abusive against anyone who ven- 
tures to trangress the old customs. But 
quite a few of the young people do not 
mind them. 

]\Iarch II. — To-day a young fellow was 
whipped by the poHce for running away 
with his uncle's Indian wife. 

March 14. — The Indians are drying 
salmon. This was never done before on 
this coast. The Indian basket is also 
used to carry the famous fish to the 
houses from the canoes. The number 
of those who got over the superstitions 
regarding the winter salmon is so great 
that the advocates of the ancient prac- 
tices give up in despair the idea of trying 
to keep them alive any longer. 

A canoe arrives from Clayoquot and 
reports the Indians of those parts in very 
great distress, owing to the lack of food. 

One of their number, the Juggler, who 
claims the power to make the herring 
flock to their harbor by incantations and 
superstitious means, finds himself disap- 
pointed, not one herring having thus far 
been seen in the neighborhood. A few 
days ago he ordered the Indians out in 
their canoes, having noticed, as he 



thought, by the appearance of immense 
flocks of sea-gulls, that the herring was 
coming in shore. He claimed credit for 
this event, but in the evening the canoes 
came back disappointed. Hence his 
father and his nearest relatives in public 
speeches put the blame on one vicious 
young fellow who last year had crushed 
with a stone the head of a fresh herring ! 

April 13. — This beautiful weather ot 
the last two weeks, and which will con- 
tinue fine, puts an end to the destitution 
of the Indians. There is an abundance 
of salmon, codfish, halibut, rock cod, 
etc. 

The women had, since the beginning 
of the famine through bad weather and 
rain, gone out to their different fern and 
wild clover patches to dig up fern, clo- 
ver and other roots for the food of their 
families. Now they look happy and con- 
tented as they cut up the fish, hang it 
up to dry in the sun or prepare it for 
the use of their households. 

April 14. — I received this morning 
intelligence of the death of Pope Pius 
IX. — R. I. P. — and the accession to the 
pontifical throne of Leo XIII. The late 
Pope died February 7. 

April I 7. — There was an Indian mar- 
riage to-day ; this is not the first or most 
important since I resided here. The mar- 
riages of the Indians of this coast are ar- 
ranged by the parents of the young 
people ; at least this is the general rule. 
Girls who have both parents alive are pre- 
ferred to orphan girls, and the daughters 
of chiefs or wealthy people are generally 
preferred to those of inferior Indians. 
The fact is, the Indian is essentially a 
speculator. The parents of tne young- 
man are in favor ot a girl who has 
both parents alive because they hope that 
these parents will continue to support 
their daughter by giving her presents, 
clothing and other useful articles. In 
many cases the wish of the young man is 
not much considered. He is told by 
his parents or guardians that they are 
gomg to propose to a certain girl, and, 
as a rule, he consents. Then com- 



56 Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 

mences a number of secret visits of the the direction of the house of the girl's 
elders, small articles are given as pres- ])arents or guardians. They advance to 
ents. good humor, kindness, are all had the measure of the tambourine, the 
recourse to, when at last the parents of women covered with feathers and their 
the would-be benedict invite the girl's faces painted. They all sing some of 
parents and nearest relatives to a sump- their old songs, and now and then one 
tuous meal If the secret has leaked out or more of the women raise their voices 
they almost invariably decline the invi- above all the surrounding " vacarm " 
tation ; but the food, in all cases most and unearthly noise. They stand for a 
abundant, is then carried to their houses, moment on their heels and swing their 
Sometimes it is returned, in case the girl bodies about, at the same time stretch- 
is to be refused and no union is to take ing out their arms, over which hang their 
place. In other cases it is partaken of, red and colored blankets, and then they 
but yet the news reaches the parents of proceed to their destination. To the 
the boy that their plans are to be frus- looker-on, from a distance, it presents a 
trated, and another article, generally of savage, yet an attractive scene, 
food, is returned to make up for that At last they all stop before the bride's 
already consumed. If the invitation is residence, or the house where the union 
accepted or the food distributed to the is to be declared and contracted. One 
nearest relatives, it is a sign that there of the important men acts as orator, 
will be a marriage. For hours and hours he stands at the 

Shortly after the preparatory step, two head of the crowd, his face turned 
or three important men go, still on the tovvardsthe residence of the girl's parents, 
sly, and make more open proposals. If He talks and talks, mentioning the 
no answer is given, it is a good and reasons why and how; the noble deeds 
favorable sign. Without much delay of the forefathers; the importance of the 
quite a crowd of the most important men clan! Call it flattery? ^Vhy, in most 
approach the girl's parents or guardians, cases it is rank untruth. But never 
and speak plain and open language that mind, his object is to please, and he 
everybody may listen to. It consists of must obtain it. I have seen them and 
first extolling the dignity and importance heard them two and three days, talking 
of the relatives of the future bride and all the while before a house, whether 
then giving a word of recommendation in there was anybody in it or not. To a 
the same vein to the would-be bride- civilized being, it was the greatest enter- 
groom, tainment possible. 

Sometimes an answer is given, but as While this is going on, one of the men, 

often the speakers are quietly told to re- from time to time, walks up to the door 

tire to their houses. This means that of the house and places one, two or more 

the matter is settled. The girl very often blankets before it. Then there is a dis- 

is not consulted, but it is almost sure cussion, and again more blankets are 

that she will not live with the young presented. The nearest relatives are in- 

man except she feels like it. Threats, eluded in the recipients of presents, 
entreaties and all kinds of means will At last it all finishes by the word being 

have no effect in many cases on even passed that the girl is given to the boy 

young girls when they have made up to be his wife and a stop is put to the 

their mind to marry somebody else. Vet ceremonies. 

the marriage ceremony must take place The age at which Indians marry varies, 

if the parents have not positively refused but it is an unusual case when a young 

their assent to the union. woman is not married before she is sixteen 

It commences by a crowd of people years old. Many of them are joined in 

gathering on the beach and walking in wedlock at thirteen and fourteen years. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



57 




58 



V^ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



The young men now marry when they 
are about sixteen or seventeen years 
old, but I am told that in the past it 
was the custom to postpone looking for 
a wife for a young man who was below 
twenty or twenty-two years. 

As said above, the girls are not openly 
consulted in matrimonial matters ; their 
mothers, however, or aunts, or other 
near relatives are generally informed 
privately and do a great deal of persuad- 
ing or dissuading of the future bride as 
regards accepting as a husband the one 
on whose behalf the advances are made. 
When the contracting ceremonies are 
over, it soon leaks out whether the girl 
will consent to live with her husband. 
If not, you will see on the face of the 
latter finger-nail scratches, or on his back 
a torn shirt, or other marks or expres- 
sions that his new life is a hard one, and 
that in an attempt to make love to her, 
who is supposed to be his wife, he has 
met with resistance and even hard treat- 
ment. This sometimes lasts for weeks, 
and then, after a worse scene than ever, 
the young man packs up and returns to 
his own home. 

It is, however, unusual to have a union 
broken off so peremptorily. In most 
cases it is only a bluff. Indians are very 
touchy, and in matrimonial cases they 
are very much determined that their 
friends shall not find an occasion to jeer 
at them for having been left. 

So then, after a time, new advances 
are made and a number of the most inti- 
mate friends of the discarded husband 
go in a body to the parents of the girl, 
make more speeches and especially more 
presents to the relatives of the girl, 
when, in all likelihood, the favorable 
answer will be given again. And so it 
goes on till the girl finally consents or 
gives unmistakable signs that she for- 
ever repudiates the idea of becoming 
the wife of the young man whom she has 
discarded from the beginning. 

TJie Wedding Feasts. — When a favor- 
able answer has been obtained the 
father or guardian of the young man 



sends a number of presents, especially 
articles of food, to the parents of his new 
daughter-inTaw. Without much delay, 
the tribe are invited to a feast of food, 
at the end of which it is announced to 
all present that the occasion of the feast 
is the marriage of his daughter, the 
food having been sent by the guardians 
of his new son in-law. Meanwhile, the 
young wife has been entertained at a 
choice meal by her new parents-in-law, 
after partaking of which she returns to 
her parents' home. These, in their 
turn, a day or two later, take their 
daughter to her new home and deliver 
her over to her husband, at the same 
time making suitable presents of food, 
which are also partaken of by the whole 
tribe. Comphments are passed during 
the meal, and general rejoicings are en- 
gaged in. In the evening especially, 
the Indians assemble in the house where 
the young people reside, and sing and 
dance, and have a general good time. 

It is always understood in the minds 
of the Indians that in case no offspring be 
born to the newly married couple it will 
be in order for the young man to sepa- 
rate from his wife and contract a new 
alliance. This is also the case where 
children are born, but die soon after birth. 
All Indians, without distinction, want an 
heir, and the old people especially will 
discard a daughter-in-law who is not the 
mother of at least one grandchild. 

June 1 8. — There was one peculiarity 
about the marriage that took place yes- 
terday. The young man for whom the 
ceremonies were gone through was 
absent in Nootka Sound during the per- 
formance, and he knew only upon land- 
ing that he is now a married man. 

When marriages are contracted be- 
tween parties of different tribes the cere- 
monies are about the same, save that the 
strangers come in their canoes, which 
they ornament with a symbol of some 
kind having reference to old-time ideas, 
or legends or important facts. 

A singular case came to my notice 
with reference to a marriage of two par- 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



59 



ties of different tribes. They were 
already married two days and the man 
had not yet spoken to his wife ; in fact, 
he did not know which girl he was mar- 
ried to ! 

July 29. — Having made a trip to Vic- 
toria where I arrived June 20, Feast of 
Corpus Christi, I just returned and am 
sorry to learn that during my absence 
the greatest disorder has reigned in the 
camp. Some of the young men who, as 
I thought, were preparing for baptism 
were among the leaders. 

September i. — I have just made a 
trip to Djeklesat, and Mar tribes — the 
Kyuquots, the largest Indian settle- 
ment on the coast, were absent at Quat- 
sinogh. I saw only a few of them and 
was informed that the tribe is very 
orderly and the people very anxious to 
have a resident priest. 

September 15. — I went to Barclay 
Sound and saw Father Nicolaye at Namu- 
kamis. The Father seems to be making 
good headway amongst the Ohiat Indians. 

With regard to the Hesquiats I must 
say that there is now not one Indian 
left, either man or woman, who has re- 
mained faithful to the conditions laid 
down as a preparation to baptism. Some 
have altogether returned to their super- 
stitious practices, whereas the others are 
very unruly in different other ways. 

October 6. — A dead whale is found 
on the beach at " Hole in the Wall." 
The Indians belonging to the outside 
camp bring the news to Hesquiat. The 
finding of a dead whale by the Indians 
is, as we have seen, always an occasion 
of great disturbance and trouble ; and 
this is not an exception. An Indian 
called Manako-ah in protecting his piece 
received a bad cut on the arm from a 
young man called Nayokwit. 

November 7. — From all accounts I am 
gaining in the esteem of the Indians. In 
their meetings my name is seldom men- 
tioned with the angry feelings that 
it was last year. The motive may 
be that they have experienced that 
giving fish of every description and 



transgressing their old pagan rules does 
not affect their success at fishing The 
young men, however, are as usual ad- 
dicted as ever to the superstitious 
mischief called "osenitcli." You can 
read it in their countenance, the skin 
having been rubbed off by the use of 
their charms. 

November 16. — There was a severe 
thunder-storm to-day. There is now a 
hght seen in the direction of the 
inlet. It is so similar to the light of 
a vessel that most of the Indians take it 
to be the light of some vessel in distress. 
A canoe went out, but was driven back 
by the storm. 

November 17. — The light of yester- 
day turns out to be the light of a bush 
fire caused by lightning. This is taken 
as a proof that the thunder is not a bird, 
as birds do not make fires ' 

The fact is there was quite a discus- 
sion in my house about the thunder yes- 
terday. The Indians maintain that it is 
an immense bird — the thunder-bird. 
One of the young men told me that 
Koninah, the third chief, was in 
possession of one of its wing-feathers. So 
I sent for the feather, but the young 
fellow came back disappointed, the chief 
having stated that he had not nor ever 
had had such a feather. The noise of 
the thunder is explained by the fact that 
the thunder-bird takes hold of a whale 
and in a struggle with the monster of the 
deep causes all the thundering reports. 

The Hghtning is a reflection of the 
bird's eyes which it opens and closes in 
rapid succession. Others have it that 
the neck of the bird is surrounded by a 
being (He-etlik) of the shape of a snake 
which breaks loose and inflames and 
goes about scattering what we call the 
lightning. Others again say that the 
light comes from under the wings of the 
bird which becomes visible as the bird 
flaps its wings. 

January 26, 1879. — Archbishop Se- 
ghers arrived here very unexpectedly a 
few days ago. He brought authentic 
news that he is to go to Oregon as Co- 



6o 



\ ancoiu'cr Island and Its Missions. 



adjlitor cum jure succcssioris of Arch- 
bishop ISlanchet. 

Upon arriving, the Archbishop told 
me that he had come to baptize my 
Indians. I rephed that none were fit to 
receive the sacrament. He insisted, 
and in order to avoid all further contro- 
versies I resiorned for the time being, 
confining myself to the office of cooking. 
After a couple of days he commenced to 
see that it was premature to speak of 
baptism to most of the people. He 
thought, however that it was wrong to 
be over-exacting, both as to knowledge 
and conduct, and to-day ten Indians, 
six men and four women, received the 
sacrament of regeneration at the hands 
of the new Archbishop of Oregon. 

All the Indians were present and the 
long ceremonies of the Ritual were fol- 
lowed. 

January 27. — Archbishop Seghers left 
Hesquiat in an Indian canoe. I ac- 
companied him. 

February 9. — We stopped a day in 
Ahousat, where we assembled all 
the Indians in the chief's house. 
As usual the Ahousats were very 
noisy, but withal very friendly. We 
passed the other tribes, going direct to 
Namkamis, Barclay Sound, where we 
met the Rev. Father Nicolaye. On 
Sunday the Bishop blessed the new 
church of St. Leo. The weather was 
very stormy and most of the Indians 
who were living on Copper Island were 
unable to come across. Quite a few of 
the men were, however, present. 

I arrived home with my Indians, hav- 
ing left the Bishop, who is on his way to 
Victoria, and thence to Portland, Ore., 
in the house of Father Nicolaye. 

I have just returned from Victoria 
where I have made my usual purchases 
of clothing and provisions for the next 
twelve months. Nothing unusual has 
occurred these last three or four months. 
Upon my return home I learned that 
several of the Indians baptized by Arch- 
bishop Seghers have returned again to 
their pagan practices — onlv three or four 



have remained faithful. As I had fore- 
seen this, it did not upset me much — in 
fact I had told his Grace that such would 
be the case ; and as the Indians also 
mistrusted the would be-Christians it 
caused very little scandal. 

They are now, however, watching with 
some concern the conduct of one who 
was supposed to be sincere about his 
adopting Christianity. The fact is his 
wife has just given birth to a little boy, 
and every one watches the couple to 
see whether they will not have re- 
course to the Indian medicine- man or 
women. 

Never within the memory of even the 
oldest people was a child born and not 
at once taken charge of by one or mare 
"sorcerers." The children of the chiefs 
and important people are especially sub- 
jected to the superstitious treatment of 
those impostors. 

As soon as the child is born, one or 
more are invited, or invite themselves to 
handle the poor little creature. A woman 
who expects to become a mother soon 
will be sure to live in the neighborhood 
of the medicine- women, or at least, she 
will move to where she can have easy 
access to them. Up to now the Indians 
were under the impression that a child 
cannot live except it be doctored Indian- 
fashion. There is no word to express 
how they will humble themselves and 
how slavish they will become in order to 
secure the services of the savage- doctor. 
If a young man is the son of a medicine- 
man or medicine-woman his chances for 
marriage are far superior to those who 
have no such dignitaries in their imme- 
diate household. The Indians told me 
that to become Christians, they could 
give up everything, but their " doctors " 
never ! 

The services of those impostors are 
called for and made use of at all times. 
Upon the birth of an infant several of 
them rush to the place. They all take 
hold of the newly-born, sing, squeeze its 
little belly, pretend to cast out the evil one 
and often exhaust the little one to death. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



6i 



It requires some heroism in our neo- 
phytes to refuse to subject a new-born 
child to the treatment which up to now 
was considered of paramount importance 
by all the Indians of this extensive coast. 
July 2 1. — The father of the child is a 
determined, good man ; he has an 
amount of trouble with his relatives who 
all want him to take the "doctors." 
The infant is a weak child and gives 
doubtful signs of a long existence. This 
gives them a chance to find fault with 
him all the more. But he does not mind 
their suggestions or interference. In my 
own mind I can see the consequences if 
the infant should come to die ; never 
would an Indian listen to us again under 
similar circumstances ; for Indians are 
exceedingly fond of having an heir and 
passionately attached to their offspring. 
I make daily visits to the newcomer, 
but he is not a great success ! — and as he 
cries a good deal the people all say that 
it is because the evil one was not cast 
out by the " Sorcerers." 

August 28. — I just returned from 
Kyuquot and other tribes. My instruc- 
tions from Archbishop Seghers on the 
occasion of his last visit were to feel the 
pulse of the Kyuquots with regard to 
having a priest stationed at that place. 
Part of the Indians had moved to their 
river stations ; however the chief and 
several of the most important men were 
still at "Akties, " their summer resi- 
dence. 

The chief not only told me that he 
was anxious to have a resident priest, but 
besides promised to grant all the land 
required for the use of the missionary, 
free of charge. 

Other important men also SDoke and 
expressed their happiness at the idea 
of having a chance to have their chil- 
dren properly educated. 

My opinion of the Kyuquots is that it 
will be hard to manage the old people ; 
but as regards boys and girls, of whoni 
there are hundreds, I consider it to be 
the very finest mission, not only on the 
island, but in the diocese. 



December 3 — As said above, the 
greatest obstacle to the conversion of the 
Indians is the idea that they will have 
to give up the Indian doctors or Sorcer- 
ers. I know a young woman who re- 
fused to marry a young man because he 
intended to become a Christian ; the 
idea that he would object to her con- 
sulting the Indian ' ' doctors ' ' both for 
herself and children made her reject 
his advances for matrimony. 

The Sorcerer is either a man or a 
woman — on this coast. Very few men 
are Sorcerers, but the number of women 
''doctors" is very large. In some 
tribes three-fourths of the women and in 
others one-half ora third — nearly all the 
the old women — claim some special talent 
in that line. 

The Sorcerer does not deal in drugs 
nor use medicine for his patients. He 
does not study medicine as a prepara- 
tion, but he is put up to become a 
Sorcerer by some relation of the craft, 
or sometimes through some motive of 
his own. 

The starting-point is either a dream 
or a so-called vision or the discovery 
of something unusual in his wanderings 
on the beach or in the bush — then he 
will feign sickness and he retires to his 
couch. His friends pretend to be or are 
really alarmed. ... He suddenly ut- 
ters deep sighs or groans ; does so repeat- 
edly ; then he jumps up, shaking his head 
— eyes closed — and intones a song sup- 
posed to have been taught by the one (a 
mysterious being) who inspired him to 
become a Sorcerer. 

This is the announcement to the tribe 
that they have a new Sorcerer. The cases 
may differ in some of the details, but 
they all amount to the same. 

We have one here just now — the first 
since I am stationed on the coast. He is 
a young, sickly fellow of a silent, morose 
disposition. He is the last Indian 
that I would have suspected of be- 
ing inclined that way. But he is al- 
ways sick and very likely he tries this 
dodge to get well ; for Indians say that 



\^ancou\'er Island and Its Missions. 



when anybody is an 
invalid he will re- 
cover at once by be- 
coming a Sorcerer. 
The Indians have 
been talking a good 
deal of their new 
" doctor" ; they say 
that he pulled a 
snake out of his 
abdomen and that 
he will walk on the 
salt water as if it 
were "terra 
firma." They also 
say that he walks 
on the branches of 
trees to their very 
extremity, and thus 
passes from one 
tree to another. 

As I always strive 
to draw good out of 
evil, so I tried to do 
in the present case. 
Nothing like facing 
the enemy — it may 
be hard at first, 
but it is the only 
way to convince for 
the future. 

So I defied the 
Indians' talk. 




lUlAT l;oY AND AN ELUEKI.Y MAIIAI'E IMUAN. 



At noon all the Indians of the tribe 

hero of all the were entertained by an old couple and 

And on Sunday I told during the repast they were unanimous in 

them what I thought of such impostors rejoicing at the fact of having a new med- 

and of those who take their part. icine man. The old people especially 

Next Sunday, Nov. 9, about four were jubilant and availed themselves of 

o'clock in the morning, I was aroused the opportunity to commend their old 

from my slumber by the loud voices of superstitions to the rising generation. 

Indians and the noise made by their new I may here say that speculation was 

Sorcerer. He was on the top of a tree at the bottom of this general endorse- 

and at times barked like a dog or croaked ment by the tribe of the new ' ' doctor. ' ' 

like a raven, then he would strike up a For this his first appearance was the 

song or work his rattles to attract the announcement that four da)s later he 

attention of the stupefied savages. would make a gift-feast to the tribe and 

At Mass -time Michel, the head of the those who praised him most expected 

only family now faithful to their baptis- to be the most favored in his acts of 

mal promises, came to see me in a des- generosity. 

pondent mood. I think I felt as bad as When the repast was coming to an end 

he did himself, but I composed myself the father of the new hero went into the 

and sang High Mass as usual and house and invited all those present to 

preached on the Gospel of the day. follow him behind one of the houses, 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



63 



where his son would give proofs of his 
extraordinary powers. 

Michel was called out by name. Like 
a man — a determined fellow, as he al- 
ways was — Michel got up and all the 
people followed him outside, expecting 
to see him covered with confusion. He 
put his hand to his mouth and as he 
walked at the head of the crowd he 
prayed " that truth might triumph ! " 

We found the new medicine-man 
standing at the foot of the tree on which 
he had been doing his performances 
since the early morning. All the Indi- 
ans arrived on the spot and stood around 
in a circle, none daring to approach the 
awe inspiring juggler. Michel, however, 
being called upon to do so, went up to 
him. We at once noticed the prepara- 
tions that had been made and showed 
before all those present that the initial 
step of the would-have supernatural pow- 
ers was an utter failure. The trick con- 
sisted or was supposed to consist in the 
fact that the Sorcerer was, by incanta- 
tions, to cause the lower branches of the 
tree, under which he stood, to bow down 
and thus enable him to reach them so 
that by taking hold of them he could 
climb up to the spot where he had caused 
the admiration of everybody in the early 
morning. Michel being close by no- 
ticed hanging from the lower branches a 
thin string which was not supposed to be 
there, and thus the trick fell through. 
One would think that the people upon 
noticing that they were imposed upon 
would walk away disgusted. But not at 
all — their boasting changed into anger 
and was followed by most unusual excite- 
ment. 

Three days later the medicine-man 
made a gift feast ( Potlach) to the whole 
tribe. When all the people were assem- 
bled he recommenced his wonderful( !) 
performances. Once more, Indian Mi- 
chel was called upon and defied by the 
performer. He was equal to the occa- 
sion, and before long he was advised by 
a thoughtful friend to retire, leaving the 
whole assembly of pagan Indians covered 



with confusion. The feast went on and 
I was glad to learn that my good and 
faithful Indian friend came in for many 
and valuable presents. 

I have written the above details with a 
feeling of disgust, but they will show, 
when paganism and superstition have 
disappeared from this coast, the blind- 
ness and obstinacy of heathens, before 
receiving the Gospel, and the amount of 
truth there is in the ancient saying, 
miindus vult decipi. 

I have been asked, "Are there real 
sorcerers to be found amongst your 
people? " My answer is: If there are 
any I have never met or discovered 
them. 

January 27, 1880.— Very extraordi- 
nary news ! I received word that we 
have a new Bishop. I received indeed a 
letter dated October from Victoria in 
the handwriting of Father Brondel, late 
of Steilacoom, Washington Territory, 
inviting me to go to his Consecration, 
which was to take place in the Cathedral 
of Victoria, B.C., on the 14th of De- 
cember of last year. 

February 25. — An Indian arrived at 
the Mission from Barclay Sound and de- 
livered a letter, with a portrait inclosed, 
of the new Bishop of Vancouver, the 
Right Rev. J. B. Brondel, D.D. The 
new prelate expressed his astonish- 
ment that I was not present at the great 
celebration of December 14th, when he 
received the mitre at the hands of Most 
Rev. Archbishop Seghers. 

A great many events take place and 
great celebrations in the Church are had, 
but, although I would be happy to be 
present and witness them, I must forego 
the pleasure of taking part in them owing 
to the lack of communication. Our 
new Bishop will after a time understand 
the situation and in the present instance 
he will be astonished to learn that it was 
over a month after his consecration that 
I received the letter of invitation, to be 
present on the great occasion. 

April 20. — I have just returned from 
Victoria, where I went to pay my respects 



64 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



to Right Rev. J- B. Brondel, our new- 
Bishop. 

This visit was occasioned by a very 
disagreeable circumstance. Early in 
March the Indians became very dis- 
satisfied and troublesome. The old people 
were finding fault and exciting the others 
at any and every chance. They now made 
up their minds that they would work on 
Sundays and ignore all the estabhshed 
rules. First they came to ask permission 
to go out fishing, and as they pleaded 
scarcity of provisions, the weather having 
been very bad, I allowed them to go out 
on one Sunday, and again on the follow- 
ing. On the third Sunday — there being 
now abundance of food in the village — 
they went out without leave. How- 
ever, when the bell was rung for High 
Mass, they all came on shore and at- 
tended Mass. I warned them and in- 
sinuated that the trangressors ot our 
Sunday law would be punished ; that I 
could not punish them all, but that the 
one who would start the others would be 
the sufferer. After Mass a messenger 
came to tell me that all the men of the 
tribe were preparing to pull out their 
canoes. And indeed, upon looking out 
I saw about thirty canoes in a line and on 
a certain signal being given, they all 
pulled out together. This was very clever 
on their part, for I could not punish any 
single starter, as they all started together. 

However, I walked down to the beach 
and I noticed that not only the men 
but even most of the women were bent 
on desecrating the Sunday. Only two 
or three of the Indian policemen had 
remained faithful. With their assist- 
ance I took away a number of nets, said 
a few words to the leaders, and walked 
back to the Mission. On my way a 
scuffle took place between the police 
and some of the worst of the lot. This 
I stopped without delay and without 
any harm being done save the tearing of 
a few shirts and the pulling out of a 
handful or two of hair. 

When I got home I tried to take the 
matter coolly. But how could I? Here 



I was now nearly six years ! And only 
one convert and two or three decent 
fellows, although heathens, besides ! 
However, the Apostles fared still worse, 
and the missionaries in China and else- 
where have no better times. Nothing 
like persevering and fighting the matter 
through ! 

Now, then, the thought struck me to 
leave the place for a few Sundays, for 
what could I do were the same trouble 
to arise again the next Sunday? I was 
half victorious, as quite a few nets — the 
articles most necessary for the herring 
season now on — were in my possession. 

I therefore resolved to make a trip to 
Victoria and see our new Bishop. His 
wise counsels and a talk with my fellow- 
priests there would give me new courage 
and light. 

I secured a crew of six Indians, and, 
as usual, we travelled in an Indian canoe. 
The weather looked fine, but at this time 
of the year the nights are very cool when 
one must sleep outside on the shore or in 
the bottom of the canoe. And yet we 
could expect nothing else ; for the next 
four or five nights we would be compelled 
to do so. When we came within sixty 
miles of Victoria the weather was bitter 
cold, but the sea, comparatively speaking, 
smooth. On the shore, though, there 
was considerable surf, and the northerly 
wind was very strong. We managed to 
paddle in shore, and as it was near mid- 
night, my men concluded to make a 
landing. I was so crippled up with cold 
that I refused to go on shore, and pre- 
ferred to pass the rest of the night in the 
bottom of the canoe. 

One of my guides, hearing that my 
feet were actually freezing, turned about 
in the canoe and put the soles of his 
feet to those of mine. This had the 
desired effect of imparting heat to my 
chilly limbs and making me feel more 
comfortable, for the feet of our Indians 
are always warm, even when they walk 
barefooted through the snow. 

I was aroused very early by the crow- 
ing of a rooster in the bush, and later on 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



65 




"THE FAIHER OF THE MAN." 

I was amused to see one of my Indians, 
in his shirt tails, running everlastingly 
after the lonely rooster, which he caught 
at last and mercilessly killed. The bird 
had been left there by Indians of the 
neighborhood, who had, I suppose, stolen 
him from some farmer, and left him there 
to shift for himself, and who were in foggy 
weather guided by his fits of crowing, as 
a seafaring raaa is guided by the reports 
of a fog horn. We cleaned the rooster 
and ate him at breakfast. 

I remained in Victoria three days with 
the new Bishop and the priests stationed 
there. During that time the weather 
had changed, and on our way back to 
the coast we had a favorable leading wind. 

When we had made a httle over a 
hundred miles, which we had done in 
less than three days and two nights, we 
came very near being drowned during a 
most severe storm. Both the Indians and 



myself had given up ; the waves were 
immense, and rising like mountains 
threatened to engulf us at any moment. 
We all lay flat in the canoe, save the 
man in the stern, and at times our frail 
skiff stood almost perpendicularly up 
and down. At last we got on shore, 
being soaked with the brine of the sea. 
We camped on a small island, where we 
found a good supply of driftwood, and 
there we passed the night under /a 
belle etoile, and as I lay under my blan- 
kets I wondered at the myriads of stars 
and admired the wonderful works of 
God, and after saying Benedicite Stellx 
Civli Domino, I managed to take some 
very much needed rest. 

Next morning the wind and storm 
had abated so that we could make a 
1 ttle headway and pass the day in an 
Indian camp. 

Three days later we arrived at Hes- 
(|uiat, where the Indians were becoming 
uneasy on account of our prolonged 
absence. 

The trouble they had given me be- 
fore leaving seemed to have weighed 
heavily on their minds, and I was re- 
liably informed that they were deter- 
mined to avoid listening to the evil 
counsels of their wicked leaders who, 
without exception, are all old men and 
old women. 

July 2S. — Right Rev. J. B. Brondel 
made his first episcopal visit to the coast, 
and I am sorry to say I could not report 
omnia prospera. The Bishop seemed to 
be disappointed; he expected to receive 
a great reception and he would have been 
received with all the honors due to his 
rank. But my Indians with the excep- 
tion of one family being still pagans, I 
thought it would look like hypocrisy to 
make them turn out and act as Christian 
Indians do elsewhere I live in hopes 
that the time may yet come when our 
Bishop will be duly received here by 
Christian Indians. 

July 30. — The Bishop called here on his 
way back from further along the coast. 
He was accompanied by Father Nicolaye, 



66 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



and upon laiiding he introduced me to 
the Father as the future missionary at 
Kyuquot, sixty miles west from my Mis- 
sion. Everything was arranged and the 
new Mission was to be put up without 
delay. 

September 25. — These Indians are 
extraordinary people ! There is an el- 
derly man who of late has been giving a 
good deal of trouble to some of his old 
enemies. Several of them have come for 
protection and seem to be really alarmed. 
At the bottom of all the mischief com- 
plained of is an old threadworn blanket 
in the possession of the old man ! 

The Indian in question is a very 
troublesome individual. He has the 
name of having been a daring warrior 
and at home he has had many a quarrel 
and fight with the people of this tribe. 
At last he got tired of black eyes and 
bruised limbs, and so he had recourse to 
the following ruse : Early one morning 
he came back from a long walk on the 
seashore. He wore as usual an old 
blanket, his only covering. The old man 
was frothing at the mouth and his 
blanket was dripping wet, apparently 
with blood. He called his friends to- 
gether and with a trembling, hoarse, 
voice he told them that at a short dis- 
tance from the settlement he had come 
upon a strange object ; it was at the foot 
of a large tree and it was bleeding pro- 
fusely. Something seemed to tell him to 
take off his blanket and steep it in the 
red liquid. He impulsively did so and 
left the spot assured that he had now in 
his possession a " charm " that would 
render him invulnerable — an object that 
would serve him to defy his enemies, 
and whether at home or abroad, defeat 
them. 

I had often heard the Indians speak of 
this blanket and tell me that the wicked- 
ness of the children of this man was to 
be ascribed to the fact that their father, 
immediately after their birth, had rolled 
the blanket around their tiny limbs and 
body and had otherwise besmeared them 
with juices extracted from his famous 



"charms." Not only that, the blanket 
had such mysterious (jualities that it 
would be impossible to send a shot 
through it ! 

As there was now quite an excitement 
in the tribe about the wonderful blanket, 
in order to destroy any further belief in 
the obnoxious article, I sent the men 
who had a new grievance against the old 
fellow to tell him to come over to the 
Mission and see me. He came, but did 
not take along the mysterious covering. 
I had my gun in my hands and quietly 
told the poor fellow to go and get it, that 
I wanted to be convinced and that if I 
could not pierce a hole through it with 
my gun, the Indians would be justified in 
looking upon it with awe and dread. 

There were now quite a number of 
people around to be witnesses of the re- 
sults, but of course it all ended in con- 
fusion on the part of the old man ; the 
others after some discussion returning to 
their homes convinced that they had all 
along been imposed upon. 

It is slow work, but one after another 
the dark spots in the Indians' minds are 
being cleared off. A few more proofs 
of this kind will go a long way to make 
them look upon the old Indian yarns with 
misgivings, and truth will at last prevail. 

There is general feasting going on just 
now. The festivities are called " Chook- 
wahu." They remind one of the feasts 
of the " Mardi Gras " of Europe, and 
from time to time are indulged in by the 
tribes on the coast, especially during the 
winter season. The origin and the 
spirit of this feast are, I think, the same, 
although some of the details differ, in 
the several tribes of the west coast of 
the island. A chief or one of the lead- 
ing men has prepared for the occasion. 
He must have a large supply of food and 
of blankets, for he is expected to feed 
all the people of the settlement during 
the festivities and to close them by 
making a gift to everyone who has been 
invited and taken part in them. These 
gifts consist in canoes, blankets, axes, 
fruit, calico, Indian beads etc., etc. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



67 



The opening ceremonies are a banquet 
at which all the Indians are supposed to 
be present — one or more of them go 
outside and return immediately into the 
house and cause consternation in the as- 
sembly by reporting that a pack of 
wolves are to be seen at a short distance 
from the camp. The wolves are some 
of the young men running on all fours, 
imitating the step of wolves, and with a 
tail and ears, so that trom a distance they 
resemble fairly well the much to-be- 
dreaded animal. 

This is the signal for great excitement. 
The chiefs make speeches, the old war- 
riors sound the alarm, songs are in- 
dulged in, fright is cast into the bosoms 
of old and young, and general notice is 
given, especially to the children, to be 
on their guard against the wolves. 

On this and the four next days no 
work is to be done, and general rejoicing 
is indulged in. Banquets are given, and 
there is singing and dancing and joking, 
and all kinds of drolleries are the order 
of the day. 

This is, however, interrupted by the 
appearance of wolves in the morning and 
towards evening. They are very bold ; 
they make for some of the children — 
singled out before the time of the fes- 
tivities and now purposely exposed to 
the danger — and take them away with 
them in the bush. The men of the 
tribe, seeing this, run into their houses, 
take up their guns and shoot them off 
as they run in pursuit of the fleeing 
wolves with their prey in their hands. 
You can now hear the shouts of alarm of 
mothers and old women . . . but after 
a while the excitement subsides and the 
general rejoicings recommence. 

And thus the game continues for four 
days. Meanwhile the children that are 
taken away by the wolves are kept out of 
sight of the tribe. The mothers weep, 
the fathers are wild with grief. Every- 
thing is done to make the uninitiated be- 
lieve that real wolves have carried away 
and devoured their children. 

It is a matter of pride for a chief and 



for all his tribe to have the " Chook- 
wahu " festivities take place. And no 
more important news can be communi- 
cated to a neighboring settlement. It 
travels all along the coast and compli- 
ments are extended by all and every 
friendly settlement. 

In old times and even now on the 
coast there are tribes where ceremonies 
ending in mutilation, or at least wound- 
ing, are indulged in. But the wounding 
is received voluntarily and payment is 
made at the conclusion of the festivities. 
The occasion is suggested by the individ- 
ual himself. He knows that as long as 
the " Chookwahu " is on, a man who 
fights or quarrels with his wife or strikes 
her is liable to have a spear passed 
through the skin of his arm, which, as a 
rule, causes profuse bleeding and much 
pain. This individual, I say, will pur- 
posely transgress this rule, whereupon a 
number of men enter his lodge, take 
hold of him and pass a sharp piece of iron 
or spear through the skin of his arm, 
which naturally enough causes fright and 
consternation in the bosoms of the wo- 
men and children. 

Being aware of this, I cautioned the 
people of this settlement against doing 
anything of the kind, but I can see 
nothing to find fault with at the present 
time. When I see the masquerades, 
cavalcades, historic processions, dramas, 
and other entertainments of our white 
populations abandoned and given up 
forever, it will be time enough to tell 
the Indians that they must give up the 
"Chookwahu" festivities. 

On the fifth day, if it be fair weather, 
the Indians all dress up. The initiated 
know what is to take place. The wolves, 
as usual, come out of the bush. This 
time the children whom they had stolen 
away from their homes accompany them. 
The Indians get excited They pull down 
to the beach two large canoes, cover them 
with planks and the chiefs and men and 
women of a special rank, using this as a 
platform, slowly proceed over the water 
to within close distance where the 



68 



Vancoiu'er Island and Its Missions. 



supposed wolves have charge of the chil- 
dren. They beat the drums, dance as 
they proceed, sing incantation songs, fire 
off their guns, and at a determined 
moment rescue the captive children and 
send the defeated wolves back into the 
bush. 

The now rescued young people are 
naked, their only covering being small 
branches of trees and brush- 
wood, and they are sol- 
emnly, amidst songs and 
general rejoicing, taken to 
the house of the chief, who 
gives the famous entertain- 
ment. The day is passed, 
without hardly any inter- 
ruption, in this house. The 
children tell their experi- 
ence in the home of the 
wolves, mention new names 
they are to take, and many 
other ceremonies too long 
and too numerous to men- 
tion are gone through. 

The feast continues at this 
place nearly a full month — 
in other tribes it lasts only 
a week. It comes to a con- 
clusion by the burning of 
the branch-covering of the 
children as they were res- 
cued from the wolves; and 
finally by a "potlach," or 
a gift of presents by the chief 
who organized the festival, 
to all the members of the 
tribe. 

July, 1 88 1. — I have just 
returned home from Ahousat 
(eighteen miles from Hesquiat), where 
I built a small church with two rooms 
attached for use as house and sacristy. 

To build a wooden church with the 
material I had at my disposition would 
puzzle] many an architect. I had ex- 
plained my plans to the Bishop, who sent 
me enough flooring and planks for the 
body of the building. Then I made the 
Indians get cedar, which we squared and 
used for sills, rafters and other necessary 



supports; lastly I enlisted the services of 
an old fellow who brought me a supply 
of cedar blocks, cut in two- feet lengths, 
of which I made shingles to be used as a 
covering for the roof. Outside the build- 
ing is neat, but the inside has the appear- 
ance of a common barn. I put up an 
altar and communion railing. But for 
the generous assistance of the natives I 




DISTRUSTFUL OF THE CAMERA. 

could never have finished the work by 
myself alone. 

I have been complimented on my work, 
but people cannot throw dust into my 
eyes — it is altogether a poor job; yet it 
will answer a useful purpose and has cost 
the best of only a kw dollars. 

I considered this place very necessary 
if I want to instruct the Indians of this 
tribe. Thus far I had done it in the house 
of the chief, but it was a terrible place. 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions, 



69 



The house of the chief was over one 
hundred feet in length by sixty in width. 
The corner posts were immense pieces of 
cedar twenty feet high ; they were met 
on top by long sticks three feet through. 
One monster beam was laid across the 
centre and served as crosspiece to sup- 
port the roof planks. With a fall, for 
rain and water, of only about two feet, 
the roof looks almost flat. This is now 
the form of all the Indian houses on this 
coast — immense places with almost flat 
roofs The sides are cedar planks fast- 
ened by ropes of cedar bark below and 
above. The cedar roof planks are chis- 
eled out so as to leave a groove for the 
rain. In fine weather one of these 
planks is raised and shoved above its 
neighbor to let in air and give a place of 
exit for the smoke. 

In this chief's house twelve different 
families had their home — twelve differ- 
ent open fireplaces supplied the room 
with smoke and heat. There were no 
windows in the house, although the crev- 
ices between the wall planks permitted 
some light to enter. How could I in- 
struct these people in such a horrible 
place of filth and smoke? — not mention- 
ing the noise made by the quarrelhng of 
the women, the crying of children, the 
growling and fighting of dogs. . . . And 
then the immodest bearing of the nu- 
merous inmates ! Yes ! I required a 
place to try and do something for the 
Ahousat Indians, and I now rejoice that 
when I go there next season I will have 
a place of my own, no matter how poor 
and how undesirable it may look or be. 

During my stay at Ahousat I was 
greatly amused to see a couple of young 
Indians taking their daily walk around 
the place with each a shoe on one foot 
only ! The man wore a shirt with a 
blanket over his shoulders and the wife 
had also a blanket over her dress ; both 
had their faces painted with red vermil- 
ion. I was told that the reason for this 
odd action was that they had recently be- 
come the parents of twins. By this time 
they had gone through a very hard ex- 



perience and they were still looked upon 
by all the people as outcasts and as to be 
shunned. No one will use the vessels 
they have used either to drink or to eat. 
Their diet is to be strictly dry fish ; 
nothing fresh is to pass their lips. Now, 
and for a long time to come, they are not 
allowed to go on the sea in canoes either 
to fish or for pleasure. The man has to 
retire daily in the forest and by shouting 
and bathing reconcile the "spirits." 
Their life is not a pleasant one as every 
one avoided them, and being forbidden 
to work or to go after food, they have 
before them the prospect of famine and 
endless miseries. The birth of twins is a 
source of great excitement with all the 
Indians on the coast. They have special 
songs for the occasion in which all the 
principal men of the tribe join before the 
house where the twins are born. 

Another time unusual excitement was 
caused by one of our chiefs becoming 
crazy. The Indians soon bethought 
themselves of an old remedy. They took 
the crazy man up to his waist in the sea. 
Half a dozen men had charge of him and 
carried in their hands branches of brush- 
wood. Upon a given signal they began 
to flog him ; then they took the man by 
the hair and forced his head under water. 
The bubbles indicated when to allow him 
up for breath. Then flogging recom- 
menced . . . and the head under water 
again . . . and the process was con- 
tinued till very little life was left in him. 
Their idea was to flog out the bad spirit 
who was supposed to be in the poor in- 
sane chief ! 

March 29, 1882. — A young Indian 
most unexpectedly called at my house, a 
few days ago, and asked to be married in 
the church. This was quite a new thing, 
for never before had anybody applied to 
me for matrimonial religious services. 

After mature consideration I made up 
my mind to comply with the young 
man's request. And so we were at last 
going to have a Christian marriage ! It 
was to be the first since I am on the 
coast. Ihe young man had not been 



70 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



baptized, but he was well instructed and 
a faithful attendant at church and a real 
good fellow He also told me that the 
young woman whom he was to lead to 
the altar was willing and anxious that I 
should marry them. 

After some difficulties to make her tell 
me that she was free and willing to marry 
the man in question — for Indian women 
were never supposed to say or acknowl- 
edge that they were willing to marry a 
certain man, such language being con- 
sidered imprudent and immodest — I pro- 
ceeded on March 23, to marry the pair. 
First I administered baptism, then I 
brought them to the altar and everything 
went on well until I told them to join 
hands. This was almost too much. 
Single Indian women on this coast are 
never to touch a young man's hand — it 
is an act of immodesty — and how could 
she do so /// conspccfii fliiiuiinii, for quite 
a crowd of people were in the church? 
However, after some coaxing and persua- 
sion, she at last put out the tip of her 
fingers from under her blanket, when the 
bridegroom, now rejoicing in the Chris- 
tian name of John, grasped hold of it 
and the ceremony proceeded without any 
further difficulties. 

I may here add that John stood before 
me in shirt tails with a blanket over his 
shoulders and barefooted ; Paulina, his 
young bride, also wore a blanket over her 
dress of brown calico and was both bare- 
footed and bareheaded. 

^^'ithal, their modesty and good dis- 
positions were a hint to our civilized 
people on the occasion of contracting 
matrimony. God bless John and Paulinal 
If they are not rich in worldly goods they 
have now a chance to live as good Chris- 
tians and their souls are as valuable and as 
l)recious in the eyes of (lod as those of the 
rich and powerful of this earth. 

But trouble not quite unforeseen soon 
arose. This Christian marriage was an 
innovation in these parts. The chiefs 
used to be consulted in these matters 
and do a great deal of interfering. It 
was often an occasion for them to be 



praised and rewarded for their ser- 
vices. Now they were ignored. To 
be sure, the parents of the young 
woman refused to recognize the union, 
and although their consent had been 
asked secretly by their daughter, they 
refused to accept the presents which 
were sent — an old custom — by the 
parents of the young husband. There 
was such a row and such an excitement 
in the camp that the young couple, 
after signing the register, refused to go 
to their home. This, however, they 
did, but not before the darkness of the 
night had come on. 

I now learned what was being said and 
the protestations that were uttered in 
public against my taking in hand their 
matrimonial affairs. It was no business 
of the priest. The young people whom 
he wanted to marry were not his chil- 
dren. Such and other remarks were 
made by the old people, and none of 
their daughters would submit to such 
unheard-of arrangements. The idea of 
anybody being married in the church ! ! 

The following Sunday I preached on 
matrimony, explaining it as being a sac- 
rament and the dignity thereof. Next, I 
called their attention to the fact that their 
old marriages almost amounted to selling 
their daughters as one would sell a canoe 
or a horse — just as of old the chiefs were 
selling their slaves. This I had told 
them more than once, but it had had no 
effect. However, I knew that the young 
men of the tribe were favorable to the 
Christian marriage, and as they occupied 
all the one side of the church, all the 
women occupying seats on the other, I 
turned myself towards the men and told 
them to stand by me, that I would have 
all those who were yet single married in 
the church, and that if the girls did not 
comply with that rule, I would take the 
matter up and go with the men and look 
for wives for them in other tribes. This 
seems to have had the desired effect, 
for several young women, being about to 
be married, fearing that they would be 
jilted, sent word through their parents 



V'ancouver Island and Its Missions, 



71 



that they were not of the number of 
those who had objected to the Christian 
marriage. 

The superstitions of the people are 
disappearing little by little. The at- 
tendance at church is good and the 
Sunday is fairly well observed. The 
Indians are now preparing for the fur- 
sealing season. 

Up to a couple of years ago they 
lived almost exclusively on fish and 
potatoes. rhey availed themselves of 
the presence of large schools of dog-fish 
to make dog-fish oil, which they sold to 
coasting schooners, receiving in ex- 
change flour, molasses, tobacco, print- 
calico, and articles of dress. The old 
people who did most of the work ob- 
jected to the buying of clothing, but the 
young people, especially the women, 
did not listen to the pleadings of their 
elders, and invested most of their earnings 
in the purchase of decent wearing apparel. 

I now made it a rule that no men 
should come to my house unless they 
wore pants ! ! 

This was hard on them, for they had 
always considered this covering of their 
lower limbs as superfluous — a real bother! 
But I was inexorable. Pants on or re- 
main outside. The other day the young 
chief, a boy about ten years old, came 
to see me on business with his aunt. I 
saw him coming from a distance, in his 
shirt-tails and a blanket on his shoulders. 
He had a small bundle under his arm. 
When within ten steps from the door he 
sat down on a piece of driftwood, took 
the parcel from under his arm, and shook 
it open. It proved to be his pants. He 
now put them on and solemnly walked 
into the Indian parlor of my house. I 
watched him as he left, and was amused 
to see him, almost at once, strip off the 
bothersome trousers, hand them over to 
the aunt and join with a lot of other boys 
in one of their favorite games. 

Two years ago I persuaded the young 
men of the tribe to try their luck as fur- 
seal hunters. From the beginning their 
success was such that they now seem de- 



termined to prosecute this lucrative work 
and leave the dog-fish business to the 
old people. However, the work is not 
beneficial to spiritual matters. Convinced 
as they are, especially by the arguments 
of famous hunters of the tribe, that in 
order to have good luck they must have 
recourse to the pagan practices of the 
"osenitcli," that they must bathe, 
use charms, fast and strictly observe 
continence, most of the young people 
have their faces disfigured by the use of 
the superstitious remedies. There is no 
use arguing with them, and it is most dis- 
couraging to hear their replies and to see 
the determination of both men and 
women to persevere in their pagan prac- 
tices. Nothing less than a miracle of 
grace will ever convince these poor be- 
nighted people! 

It is worth mentioning that, when the 
young men are out sealing, the people at 
home observe strict old-fashioned rules. 
So, for instance, the doors of the houses 
must remain closed and the room be kept 
as dark as possible ; dogs, chickens and 
even children are turned outside. I 
heard a young man say that he missed a 
seal — or rather saw a small school of seals 
on which he was gaining stealthily, ex- 
pecting to throw his spear at one of them 
and kill it, when all at once they all awoke 
and began to fight on the water ; and he 
attributed his ill luck of not killing it — 
as they can only be speared when 
they are asleep — • to the fact that 
at that very time a band of dogs 
had a row in his house, as he was 
afterwards informed by the women at 
home. The Indians go out after the seals 
in their canoes and, finding a seal asleep, 
stealthily approach and throw out their 
harpoon, loosely attached to a pole ten or 
fifteen feet long and pull the struggling 
animal alongside, when they kill it with a 
club. Guns are not used by the Indians 
when hunting the fur-seal. 

Another source of revenue are the sea 
otters, which animal, however, is now 
scarce on the coast. They caught a few 
last year and the year before, altogether 



72 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions, 



about seventeen, and were paid from or more blankets as per agreement 
thirty up to ninety dollars in trade for before the hunt was engaged in. 
each animal. The sea otters are close The sea otter is very easily killed, a 
in shore, rarely more than two miles slight wound often causing death, 
away from the rocks or surf. The mode It is sometimes very touching to 
of hunting is different from that of the listen to the narrative of the Indians on 
fur seal. Ten or twelve canoes go out their return home from a hunting expe- 
together — the weather must becalm, no dition. When a female sea otter ft eds 
wind and no waves — the sea being like a she leaves her pup floundering on the 
looking glass, the Indians spread them- water; otherwise she carries it always in 
selves over an extended surface. When one of her flippers which in the human 
noticing a sea otter, a signal is given family are represented by the arms, 
with the paddle, when all the hunters Now this poor brute is so attached to her 
close around the coveted animal. The little offspring, that she will be wounded 
Indians use small canoes, three persons two and three times and not part with it. 
in each canoe and use bows and arrows. She wants to protect it as long as life is 
The sea otter on seeing danger dives in her motherly bosom, and in many cases 
under the waves; he must come up the Indians take the little pup from the 
for breath after a while, when the In- flippers of its lifeless mother, 
dians begin unmercifully to shoot their At other times, whilst the mother is 
arrows at him: if not hit he dives again, but feeding under the waves, they man- 
mist soon come to the surface again for age to catch the helpless youngster, and 
breath. When he comes up the third attach it to a rope tied to their canoe, 
time he remiins on the surface and, like By its wails and cries, it attracts the at- 
a duck, flutters away from danger the best tention of the mother, who on coming in 
way he can. proximity with the canoe, is unmercifully 

The Indians, having now gathered to- killed by the cunning sea-otter hunter, 
gether around him, manage to hit and October 20. — On the tenth of this 
kill him amidst the greatest excitement, month two Indians came to my house 
The man who first wounded the animal and having great news to communicate 
claims it as his own, although another asked me to close and lock my house. 
man may have done the real killing. They had come from "Oomis," a 
The woman or little boy, or may be the fishing station about seven miles distant 
old man, who 
does the steering 
gets the tail for 
his share. The 
one who killed a 
wounded sea otter 
is also paid ac- 
cording to an 
agreement ; and 
every one who 
succeeded in 
woundmg the an- 
imal after it had 
been hit by the 
man who now be- 
comes the owner, 
is also paid, re- 
ceiving one, two A HAPPY PAIR OF BLIND MEN, HESQUIAT, B. C. 




Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



73 



from my house and on the open ocean. 
A vessel had been wrecked the night be- 
fore, so they had come all that distance 
to inform me, and the body of one of 
the sailors was now lifeless on shore be- 
fore their fishing camp. 

I made some necessary preparations 
and went out at once and was followed 
by a large number of the people who 
lived at the Mission. It soon became 
evident that a great calamity had oc- 
curred, for we had not walked more than 
three miles, when we found on the beach 
a trunk full of ladies' dresses and chil- 
dren's wearing apparel. All along our 
road, which was over a beach covered 
with rocks and driftwood, we met signs 
of the disaster. When I arrived at 
Oomis I found the lifeless body of a 
young man covered with rocks. He had 
stripped and evidently tried to save him- 
self by swimming for shore, but the sea 
being so rough and the surroundings 
one vast mass of rocks, he had failed to 
attain his object and was drowned. 
There were no wounds on his body, 
save a scratch on his forehead. He 
seemed to be a man of twenty or thirty 
and had the complexion of a Scandina- 
vian. We covered the body with can- 
vas from the ship, dug a grave and I 
buried him. 



alive and in a trance. As I moved the 
body out of the canoe, with the assist- 
ance of the Indians, I noticed that her 
neck was broken, for her head swung 
from one side to the other, and with her 
beautiful blue eyes wide open I was al- 
most tempted to believe that life was not 
extinct ; but no ! She was dead — drowned 
with her husband and her two little boys I 
It was the saddest thing I ever saw in my 
life — the letter-blocks of the children and 
their toys and their pet little pig were 
lying about on the beach ! 

The vessel had gone all to pieces and 
it was with some difficulty that I discov- 
ered that she was the bark MalleviUe, of 
Freeport, Me. — Capt. E. Harlow ; the 
lady in question being Abbie Newcomb, 
of Brewster, Me., the young captain's 
wife and the mother of his two little boys. 
I called upon the chief of this clan and 
he supplied us with calico in which we 
wrapped the body of the dead lady ; then 
we got canvas off of the vessel, made a 
shroud and buried her in proximity to 
the grave of the sailor. 

I must not forget to mention that the 
Indian who discovered the body and 
brought it on shore had taken from her 
hand two diamond and two gold rings — 
her wedding and engagement rings ; two 
diamond earrings, a gold pin and a piece 



Next I began to say my Vespers, and of a gold watch-chain — the watch having 



the tide going out the Indians manned 
their canoes and went cruising amongst 
the rocks and in the small bays. All at 
once I heard a cry of alarm, and next I 
understood them to say that they had 
found the body of a woman. I went 
down to the landing and then indeed I 



in all probability dropped into the sea. 
After landing the body this man gave me 
these articles of jewelry and asked me to 
take them in charge. I told this good 
fellow — who might be given " as an ex- 
ample ' ' to civilized people for his hon- 
esty — that we would send them to the 



was just in time to take on shore the body relatives of this lady in case we could dis- 
of a young woman. She was evidently a cover their home and get intelligence of 
lady of good circumstances, in all proba- their wishes. Altogether twenty-two 
bility the captiin's wife. She was dressed people were drowned, including the cap- 
very gorgeously and had likely put on all tain's wife and two children and the 
her best clothes, so as to save them, in case second officer's wife. 



she should reach shore alive. I uncov- 
ered her face, over which the Indian 
rescuers had drawn a veil. She had a 
small wound above the right eye, but 
otherwise she looked as if she had been 



After burying the dead and leaving in- 
structions for the burial of some of the 
bodies which had not yet been recovered, 
I prepared to go home. 

But I was sick at heart, and completely 



74 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions, 



exhausted with fatigue and hunger. 
1 had passed two days with the most 
distressing scenes before me. I had seen, 
it is true, with satisfaction the noble and 
heroic work of the Indians ; I had seen 
them, up to their necks in the surf and 
sea, drag the bodies on shore and hand 
them over to me for burial ; those very 
people who at one time killed the living 
or left the dead unburied to become the 
prey of the ravens or wolves. Yet my 
business on that inhospitable shore came 
vividly to my mind as I saw a lot of dead 
men, women and children before me — 
people who had relatives and for whom 
tears would be shed. As at night I lay on 
a couple of planks, placed by the Indians 
on the heads of two empty i)arrels, so that 
I would be more or less protected against 
the vermin, a cold fever seized me and 
only for the heat communicated by my 
Newfoundland dog which I took as a 
bed-fellow, I think I should have perished 
of cold and misery. 

On our w^ay home we encountered the 
body of another sailor, an immense man, 
dressed in blue overalls. I was in com- 
pany of two Indians. The waves of 
the incoming tide moved the body in 
shore. We found the half door cover of 
the hatch. We passed it under the 
corpse and thus floated it towards the 
beach. We then began to lift it up, hatch 
door and corpse. We were thus pro- 
ceeding when one of my men lost hold 
and the body went splashing back in the 
sea! Oh ! horror of horrors ! it was 
dreadful. Finally we had carried the 
unfortunate man to his last resting-place, 
and after digging a grave we let him sink 
into it and covered him with the hatch 
door of the vessel on which he had met 
his sad end. 

November 22.- — A gunboat arrived in 
the harbor yesterday. The message 
which I sent to Victoria reached there 
per way of Alberni. Two young men 
volunteered to carry the news over the 
newly-built government trail or road to 
the East Coast and to Manaimo, whence 
it reached the naval authorities. 



Captain Thorn, of H. M. S. King 
Fislier, is now on his way back to Vic- 
toria with some of the details which he 
asked me to write for him. The arrival 
of this steamboat was a Godsend to us, 
for I had lost the run of the days of the 
week, and could not say with a certainty 
that we were keeping Sunday at a proper 
time or day. When, at one time, I was 
informed that one of our priests (Rev. 
Father Roundeault) had lost — or, rather, 
gained — a whole week in the calendar — 
when he had given the ashes a whole 
week before Ash Wednesday — 1 thought 
such a mistake almost unpardonable ! I 
know better now. It is a hint to me not 
to disbelieve the Indians when they re- 
port that they have kept Sunday on Mon- 
day or Saturday. I made the same mis- 
take. 

1883, January 30. — Upon the ar- 
rival of H. M. S. King Fisher in 
Victoria, dispatches were sent abroad 
with the news of the wreck, and to- 
day I received a letter from Mrs. 
Strout, of Portland, Me. , telling me that 
the lady whom I had buried was a rela- 
tion of hers and asking me to send the 
jewels which we had recovered to the 
dead lady's parents, who were living in 
Brewster, Me. From what I understand 
these people are Protestants, yet they 
believe in keeping relics of the dead. 
Withal, the letter was a beautiful one 
and exceedingly touching. Many were 
also the thanks expressed by this esti- 
mable lady for the services rendered to 
her dead relative by the Indians and 
myself. Oood Bishop Healy, of Port- 
land, Me. , had given her permission to 
use his name in writing to me. 

July 15. — Sent jewelry, Bible, and 
sealskin cloak to the mother of the late 
Mrs. Barlow, of Brewster, Me. The 
Indians let me do so, although I could 
not promise any reward for their gener- 
ous conduct and their trouble. 

September. — At my request, the rela- 
tives of the shipwrecked people having 
neglected to reward the Indians who 
had lielped me to bury the de«d and 



\'ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



75 



had parted with the valuable jeweh-y, 
the American Government granted a sum 
of two hundred dollars to be distributed 
among the most deserving ones, and a 
gold medal was presented to Chief Aime 
as a souvenir of the kindness and 
humane conduct of the tribe. The inter- 
ests of the Mission and of the priest in 
charge were forgotten by all parties 
concerned. 

December. — The Indians having com- 
menced some of their winter festivals 
and the chief being engaged in a 
" Chookwahu " entertainment, a young 
woman fell into trances and began 
to prepare to become a medicine 
woman. As my position with the 
majority of the people was becom- 
ing solid, and as I could reckon upon 
being sustained in anything I would un- 
dertake for their good, I decided to in- 
terfere. The medicine men and women 
being all around the candidate for new 
honors, I sent a posse of strong men 
to scatter them with menaces and threats. 
All the impostors immediately left the 
house, the young woman herself took to 
the bush and left the village, and it is 
now settled that for the future consulting 
and employing medicine- men and 
women can no longer be tolerated in this 
neighborhood. 

Thus the greatest obstacle to the con- 
version of the Hesquiat Indians is for- 
ever removed. 

1884. — Bishop Krondel is gone to 
Montana to become Bishop there. Rev. 
Father Jouckau was to be his successor, 
but he does not accept on account of 
sickness and poor health. I now heard 
that Archbishop Seghers had obtained 
permission to return to his old diocese. 
August 15. — I had a narrow escape 
from drowning. I was coming from 
Nootka where I had spent a month. As 
I left Friendly Cove with a young man 
and his wife there was no wind, but a 
heavy sea was coming into Nootka Sound. 
It was a signal of the approach of 
westerly wind. Just the wind we wanted. 
We had hardly traveled half a mile 



when we met the breeze ; yes, a regular 
gale ! "What do you think of running 
for shore?" cried my Indian. "Take 
in sail, I cannot steer." I obeyed his 
orders. We were now in the midst of a 
fearful tempest. The young woman be- 
gan to cry and utter shrieks of despair. 
It was terrible, but 1 prayed like a good 
fellow. The sea was now breaking over 
our canoe. ... I put the matter into 
the hands of St. Lawrence, whose feast 
we were to celebrate the next day, and 
I called the reef, on which we happily 
succeeded in landing, St. Lawrence's 
reef. The Indians baled out the canoe, 
dried their blankets in the sun, and I re- 
tired amongst a little brushwood, grow- 
ing between the rocks of St. Lawrence's 
reef, where I made myself comfortable 
and slept that night. 

September 9. — A wicked young fel- 
low, the son of the most desperate 
characters of the coast, had recourse 
to an old dodge, very frequently used 
in the past, to procure for himself 
a partner in life. A canoe of New- 
chatlat Indians passed here and called 
at the village. The rascal watched his 
chance and whilst her friends were en- 
joying a hospitable meal in one of the 
houses, he went to their canoe and took 
out by force a young woman, who strug- 
gled and cried as he carried her to his 
parents' residence. Although I felt in- 
clined to stop the performance of this 
dastardly act, for motives of prudence I 
was compelled to abstain from inter- 
fering. 

September 14. — Distant relatives of 
the young woman in question to-day 
took her to her home and friends. 

Speaking in general, the people are 
orderly and docile and well behaved. 

Since the abolition of the medicine- 
men and women free recourse is had to 
me for medicines and medical treatment. 
Day and night calls are made for reme- 
dies for the old and young — they want 
medicine for any and every complaint — 
there is no end to it. Strong, burning 
medicines are preferred; in fact, mild 



76 



X'ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



remedies are discarded. Since last year 
I must have applied a square yard of 
blistering and mustard plasters to the 
aching limbs and bodies of my parish- 
ioners. I hope this habit of caUing for 
help for even the most trivial ailments 
will soon cease; if not, I have a hard and 
busy time before me. 

1885, November. — Since the begin- 
ning of last year the religious status of 
the tribe has greatly changed. Many 
adults have been baptized and received 
into the church. All the marriages are 
now contracted in the church and it is 
only a matter of time to have all the 
young people gathered in the bosom of 
the Church and leading practical Christian 
lives. At last, then perseverance and 
prayer have carried the day. Deo 
Gratias! 

Last June seventeen young men went 
on a sealing expedition to the Behring 
Sea. They did very well, and arrived 
home highly delighted with the success 
of their long voyage. They had killed 
1,400 animals, receiving two dollars per 
animal. However, their earnings were 
considerably reduced, as they had to pay 
for their board on the vessel. Their 
mode of hunting is as follows: Their ca- 
noes are taken on board of the vessel 
and secured on deck. When they come 
to the sea their canoes are lowered when 
the weather is calm. The Indians then, 
with spears and some provisions and a 
compass, begin to cruise around, hunt 
the seals and return to the vessel to spend 
the night. 

It is hazardous work, as the waters of 
the Behring Sea are very treacherous and 
become covered with a dense fog some- 
times more than once a day; the Indians, 
of course, use their compass, but it takes 
good reckoning, to come from a distance 
of ten or fifteen miles, and then just 
meet the spot where their vessel is drift- 
ing about. In such weather, signal guns 
are fired off and are of great assistance to 
the befogged hunters ; yet on their first 
voyage two Indians lost their vessel and 
by their absence on board caused much 



uneasiness and grief to their friends and 
many tears to their relatives at home on 
the arrival of the schooner. 

They are back now, and pose as heroes. 

After losing the vessel they landed on 
one of the Aleutian Islands. There they 
met a native who treated them well and, 
by signs and gestures, showed them the 
direction of a trading post. The trader, 
a white man, gave them some provisions 
and directed them to a bay where Ameri- 
can fishermen were busy at their trade. 
Thence they were taken in a boat and 
landed at one of the central trading sta- 
tions, whence they were passengers on 
the Alaska Commercial Company's 
steamer Do/ah and landed at San Fran- 
cisco. They were treated with much 
kindness by the captain and his men ; 
and the first officer took the two Indians, 
bewildered upon seeing the large city of 
the Pacific Coast, to the British Consul 
who paid their passages to Victoria, B. C. 
Here they at once went over to see the 
Bishop, who assisted them by a letter of 
recommendation to the owners of the 
vessel from which they had strayed. A 
canoe was bought and a supply of provis- 
ions and they arrived home last Sunday 
morning, just in time to attend Mass. 
They now excite the wonder of, not only 
their own friends, but of all the Indians 
of the coast, and, no doubt, their experi- 
ence, told in all its details, would excite 
the admiration of people more accus- 
tomed to travel than these Indians who 
had never before left their home and 
country. 

All is well that ends well ! 
"Wewiks, " an Indian boy, the son 
of parents whose great pride it was to en- 
tertain the tribe with food and presents 
and had only half fed and clothed their 
own children, got in trouble and died a 
few weeks ago. It has been stormy and 
dangerous-looking for me ever since, 
and I now have a paper on my table 
stating that, if I do not turn up and that 
my body is found with evidence of hav- 
ing been murdered, traces of it can be 
found on the lower limbs of the man who 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions, 



11 



•committed the deed. I have since the 
beginning of the trouble carried a revol- 
ver in my pocket with the object of 
wounding in the lower limbs, the man 
who committed the assault, so that no- 
body but the guilty party may be hauled 
up. 

Wewiks broke into the store of a 
trader. He was condemned to six 
months' imprisonment, contracted con- 
sumption in prison, and died a week after 
his return home. Three days before his 
■death his father came to my house and 
began to abuse and threaten me fear- 
fully. 1 took it calmly and simply cast 
the blame on the one to whom it be- 
longed, namely, the boy who had broken 
into the store. Just before leaving me 
the old man changed his tone and gave 
me to understand that my services as a 
priest would not be rejected. So I went 
over and prepared the poor young fel- 
low for death. I was, however, informed 
that trouble was brewing and to be on 
my guard. The sick man had in his 
possession a brand new gun. and it was 
lying alongside of his bed. What was the 
use of his parents buying a new gun, 
when it was evident that their boy must 
-soon die ; and then, was the bed of the 
dying man the proper place to keep the 
■dangerous weapon ? Such were the re- 
niarks which were made and thence the 
hints thrown out to me. I could easily 
■see that my position was not a safe one. 

Now, the evening before the young 
fellow died, a messenger, in the person 
■of the sick boy's brother, came to ask 
me to go over to the house. It was 
dark, the Indians had retired for the 
night and the sick man was dying in a 
liouse away from the settlement, and had 
no company there save his wicked pa- 
rents. A coasting trader was with me 
when the invitation was made. He 
jumped up as I rose to follow the mes- 
senger and entreated me not to go, that 
they were going to kill me, the last word 
I heard him call out being "Oh! Father, 
■come back, for God's sake do not go 1 " 

I knew that I was running a great risk, 



but how could I in conscience refuse to 
go and see a dying man ? On my way 
I called on a man whom I could trust, 
and asked him to accompany me. He 
was quite willing, but how disappointed 
the sick man's parents looked when they 
saw that I was not alone ! My presence 
as a priest was not wanted — not one of 
them spoke a single word to me — but 
they all entered in conversation with my 
companion, and so after a while I re- 
turned to my house with this one consola- 
tion that I had done my duty. 

Wewiks died, but his people ob- 
jected to having him buried from the 
church. They were bent upon making 
trouble. His body was placed on the 
branches of a huge tree, covered and 
decorated with blankets, and the famous 
gun is also in evidence as an ornament. 
All this is against tne rules of the Chris- 
tians and even the pagans, having for 
sometime since renounced many of their 
old customs, now found fault with the con- 
duct of the bereaved relatives. But it 
is evident that this transgression of our 
newly established regulations was only 
made with the object of creating trouble. 

The lamentations of the nearest rela- 
tives, their shrieks of despair and the 
expression of the wickedness of their 
hearts surpass all limits. They call me 
a liar and all sorts of names, the curses 
directed against me are of such a nature 
that the children and young people feel 
horrified. You can hear their maledic- 
tions against the poor priest from morning 
till evening, and for no other motive save 
that the man who had the boy arrested 
and punished was a white man like 
myself. 

March, i886. — For the first time in 
the history of the world was Confirmation 
administered on this coast. On the 28th 
of February, the Most Rev. C. J. Seghers, 
Archbishop of Vancouver, administered 
here in the Church of Hesquiat, this 
sacrament to thirty-seven adult Indians. 

We had tried to give him a good re- 
ception as becomes a Bishop of the 
Church, and the Indian beins: now 



78 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



almost all Catholics, we succeeded to a 
great extent. You can now read happi- 
ness and joy on the countenances of 
these poor people who, a few years ago, 
were the slaves of pagan practices. The 
Bishop seemed glad to see that the work 
which we had commenced together 
twelve years ago, was at last becoming 
successful. 

It is now only a matter of time to see 
the non-baptized Indians imitate their 
mure fortunate friends. There is an 
element though of people who are still 
far from adopting Christianity. It is a 
family of chiefs who suspect that Chris- 
tianity will have the effect of lowering 
them in the esteem of the other Indians 
of the coast. The idea of seeing people of 
low rank raised to their own level, as all 
Christians are alike, and have the same 
spiritual privileges, hurts their feelings. 
Pride is at the bottom, that Indian pride 
which is among the greatest obstacles to 
the conversion of all Indian nations. 
But I must continue and try to get them 
all gathered into the fold. Things look 
well now, and I begin to enjoy some of 
the consolations of the priests of God 
who administer to civilized Catholic 
congregations. 

On the occasion of his visit to the 
coast, the Pjishop went to Kyuquot, 
where I accompanied him with Father 
Lemmens. We went on a schooner and 
were well received by the Kyuipiot In- 
dians, who had been duly prei)ared by 
their priest, the Rev. Father Nicolaye, 
who was glad to receive us. 

The Bishop on this occasion blessed 
the cemetery at Kyuquot ; thence we 
returned in canoe and visited the dif- 
ferent tribes on our way back, preached 
to the ])eople and baptized their chil- 
dren. We came near being drowned 
close to Bayo Point ; but escaped as by a 
miracle; then we made our home for a 
week, on account of bad weather, in 
Friendly Cove, Nootka Sound, where 
our provisions gave out ; at last we man- 
aged to reach Hescjuiat and enjoy a full 
if not a luxurious meal. 



From Hesquiat we went to Ahousat, 
and the Bishop here made arrange- 
ments to appoint a priest for this tribe, 
where at one time I had built a chapel 
and dwelling rooms; thence we continued 
in our canoe to Clayoquot, where we saw 
the Indians. There my trip was at an 
end and after receiving the Bishop's 
blessing I bade him good bye and re- 
turned to my headcjuarters in Hesquiat. 

The next news which I received was 
that Father Lemmens was stationed in 
Clayocjuot Sound and that my work was 
reduced to looking after the Hes(iuiat, 
Nootka and Matchleat Indians. 

1 88 7. — On the occasion of his last 
visit the Bishop made arrangements for 
building a new dwelling house, my old 
quarters having become almost uninhabit- 
able. We therefore commenced work early 
in fune. I had logs s<[uared and ready 
for the men on their arrival and the 
foundations were laid. The house was 
to be a log house with lining inside and 
rustic outside. The two white men em- 
ployed did their best, but understood 
very little about building a log house. 
It took more time than we expected and 
was much more costly. 

While this was going on. Archbishop 
Seghers was absent in Alaska and we 
were overwhelmed with grief when we 
learned in August that he had been 
murdered. The news was so unexpected 
and of such an unheard-of nature that 
my men dropped their tools in com- 
plete discouragement. We had no de- 
tails, but the Bishop was dead and the 
news utterly upset us. 

Most of my Indians were also absent: 
they had been induced to leave their 
homes and go to the hopfields on Puget 
Sound, ^\'ashington Territory. With the 
news of the death of our lamented Bishop 
came almost simultaneously the news of 
sickness amongst the thousands of Indi- 
ans who were in the hopfields. 

Later on some of the ])eople began to 
come home, their children had died of 
measles. Others brought their little 
ones home, but they had the sickness 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



79 



with them. Having been exposed to 
the cold in their canoes, many died and 
those who seemed to have recovered be- 
came consumptive and soon followed 
the others to the grave. ]5efore long 
I counted over forty children of Hes- 
quiat alone who had become victims of 
the disease and had died. With my 
Bishop murdered and my young people 
dying around me, I closed this year with 
many, many sad feelings. 

February, iS88. — Depression and 
gloom seems to be in the air all around. 
Most of the Indians have now come back 
to their Hesquiat homes. 'I'his used to 
be an occasion for rtjoicing and good 
feeling. It is different now. f>om morn- 
ing till night you can hear the women cry 
and lament ; some of them express anger 
and passion. But it is touching and 
sad beyond expression to hear the young 
mothers who have lost their little ones 
bemoan their loss. It would draw tears 
from the eyes of stolid men to see them 
in groups of three or four, with their 
eyes filled with tears, scjuatted before the 
houses and hear each one of them tell 
in song- like words that can be heard all 
over the village the greatness of her loss 
and the sufferings of her motherly heart. 

The men also take part in the general 
mourning. Like the women, they clip 
their hair short, neglect their attire and 
seem to be deprived of all ambition. 
Some look morose and sullen, others are 
the picture of men with broken hearts. 

It is terribly hard on me to be here 
just now, for one cannot help commis- 
erating and feeling for his poor people. 
However, there is no use sitting down 
and crying. But the worst is that some 
of the pagans look very bad and by their 
conduct are very provoking. May this 
state of affairs soon cease and ha\e no 
evil consequences! 

June 5. — A couple of schooneis called 
here for a crew and are now off to the 
Behring Sea on a fur-sealing expedition. 

The news arrived that Father Lem- 
mens is to be our new Bishop. 

June 25. — -Unexpectedly the steamer 



Maude called in Hesquiat harbor and I 
took passage on her and went to Vic- 
toria 

The steamer called at " Clayoquot 
Mission." I went to see the Bibhop- 
elect, whom I found in his shirt sleeves, 
with an axe in his hands, splitting fire- 
wood. After taking a pot of coffee, 
which he j^repared for me in good style, 
we talked the matter over and we left 
together for Victoria. 

July — Here the new Bishop elect 
was welcomed by the clergy and es- 
pecially the Very Rev. J, J. Jouckau, 
the administrator. This last-named 
gentleman was very weak and evidently 
suffering very much. 

Rev. Father Lemmens objected to be- 
coming Bishop, but he was eventually 
persuaded to accept and his consecration 
was set for August 5. 

On the Sunday previous his adminis- 
trator, the Very Rev. J. J. Jouckau, died 
quite suddenly and his funeral, at which 
I was made to preach, took place on the 
following Tuesday. 

August 17. — Two days later I re- 
ceived word through the wife of the 
Indian agent for the coast, that a 
murder had been committed at Hes- 
quiat ; that the body of. a little boy of 
four years had been found behind one of 
the houses, but that there was no evi- 
dence to prove by whom he haa been 
killed. 

This news spoiled all the pleasure and 
enjoyment of my presence at the conse- 
cration of the Bishop, when all the 
priests of the diocese met together. 
I went home with a crew of Indians 
who had specially come for me in 
a canoe. It was a long, tedious trip, 
all the more unpleasant as I could see 
the trouble I had before me on account 
of the murder. 

August 2 I. — I arrived home shortiv 
before midnight, and retired at once. 
About two o'clock a. m., I heard some- 
body knock at the door I waited for 
another knock, but the visitor left. 

Early next morning a man called 



8o 



X'ancouver Island and Its Missions. 



Isinicjuah came to see me, and as he be- 
gan to say that he was falsely accused of 
being the murderer, I would not give 
him a hearing. I.ater in the evening he 
came again and asked me what the 
Indians had been telling me about him. 
But again I sent him off without making 
any statement. 

The Indian agent called a couple of 
days later and went to Victoria to in- 
form the authorities of the circumstances 
of the crime. 

A magistrate and a couple of police- 
men were sent. Isiniquah underwent a 
preliminary hearing and was taken to 
civilization for trial. 

Meanwhile the father of the murdered 
child arrived home from Behring Sea. I 
never in my life saw a man the victim of 
such a struggle to control his temper. 
However, he held out, and I heard him 
say in my own house to his weeping 
wife : " Now let us not be oversad ; if 
we are good we will see our little boy 
again in heaven." The tears came in 
my eyes and it struck me then that if I 
had had my troubles I had at least done 
some good by remaining and trying to do 
my duty. 

October 25. — The schooner Kate 
arrived here and had been chartered by 
the government to take the witnesses to 
Nanaimo for the trial of Isiniquah. I 
received a summons to accompany them 
and act as interpreter, which I did, 
rather than pay a fine of five hundred 
dollars for non-attendance. 

The trial came off in due time, lasted 
three days and Isiniquah was con- 
demned to be hanged December 12th. 

The Methodist ministers and one 
Presbyterian bigot got up a petition to 
have the sentence commuted, or rather, 
have the prisoner discharged. They 
considered it a piece of persecution and 
compared the proceedings to the pro- 
ceedings of the "Spanish Inquisition !" 
Their object at the bottom was, to gain 
the good will of the natives who were 
related to the murderer, excite them 
against the Catholic priest, and thus 



prepare the field to put a Protestant mis- 
sion on the coast. This was the first 
attempt they made to intrude on our 
missions on that coast. 

December 19. — Isiniquah was hanged 
on December 12th, after being duly pre- 
pared by baptism and instruction in our 
holy religion. 

The motive of his crime had, presum- 
ably, been the fact that one of his chil- 
dren who had died of measles was called 
Moses, and the boy whom he killed 
had the French name Moise ; this latter 
boy was the child of Michel, a good 
Christian. Isiniquah and his friends, 
according to an old pagan custom, 
wanted this man to give another name to 
his child on account of the similarity 
of the two names. Michel having re- 
fused to do so, the murderer availed 
himself of the absence of the parent and 
the grandfather of the boy in Behring 
Sea to get him out of the way, and he 
unmercifully took the little fellow in the 
bush, put his strong hand firmly on the 
mouth and nostrils of the child and then 
choked him to death. When the sen- 
tence was pronounced in court, a white, 
Catholic woman, the mother of several 
little children, was heard to say, " that 
a rope was too good to hang a man who 
had choked to death an innocent child." 
When the time of going back to the 
mission had arrived, the government put 
at our disposition the schooner Favoriti', 
(80 tons), Captain L. McLean. The 
Indians took along a supply of building 
lumber and other material with the ob- 
ject of improving their habitations and 
their mode of living. I had also on 
board several thousand feet of lumber 
and bricks for a new church in Friendly 
Cove, Nootka Sound These Indians 
had for a long time refused my services 
as a priest, and, as they now had repeat- 
edly asked me to do so, I concluded to 
build a chapel at their place. 

After discharging men and freight at 
Hesquiat, at the rec^uest of the captain, I 
returned on board of the vessel, as she put 
up sail, and so we started on December 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



8i 




82 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



17th, about noon. The wind was fa- 
vorable but there was considerable sea 
on and the weather as a whole looked 
bad. In less than two hours we were 
sailing into Nootka Sound. As we 
neared Friendly Cove, our destination, 
the wind abated and soon began to blow 
against us. 

It was now dark and the wind shift- 
ing again it became favorable. I was 
down below when the captain, quite ex- 
cited, came down, told me to put on his 
" mackintosh " and follow him on deck. 
He wanted me to act as interpreter. 
There were two Indians on board whom 
he could not understand, but, being of 
this district, he wanted them to act for 
us as pilots. The captain had been only 
once before in Friendly Cove, and, 
the weather being so very thick, he was 
not sure that he could make the harbor. 
The rain fell in torrents and the wind 
blew a hurricane. I now stood against 
the mainmast and the Indians were giv- 
ing their orders, which I interpreted for 
the captain. The skipper had his 
misgivings about the directions given by 
his Indian pilots But he followed them. 
. . . The Indians knew the entrance to 
Friendly Cove. Yes, that was the 
cove. But it was not the cove ... it 
was a small bay, close to the entrance of 
the real harbor, which we had to make ; 
and the Favorite, having sailed in at 
full speed, was before long looked upon 
as in extreme danger close to and touch- 
ing the rocky shore. The would-be 
pilots were des])ondent ; the skipper 
kept cool and ordered his sailors to run 
lines on shore, fasten them to the rocks 
and then try to keep the vessel from go- 
ing to pieces. I heard him make only 
one sour remark and he did so in a 
solemn, stern way. '' I could," said he 
" shoot those sons of savages as they 
stand in their boots." The mistake was 
they wore no boots. 

The sailors, after fastening lines to the 
rock to keep the vessel from striking, 
came back on board and began to put 
their clothes and belongings in their 



traps and bags to have them ready when 
ordered to abandon the vessel. As for 
myself, I was advised by the kind captain 
to turn in, if I wanted a couple of hours' 
rest. But how could I do so with my 
shoes full of water and on a vessel that 
might go to pieces at any time? That 
night was a dreary one for us all, as the 
vessel began to roll on the rocks and 
keeled over considerably. Early in ihe 
morning, as the tide came in, she slid 
down from the boulders and finally was 
afloat again. The men, later in the day, 
hauled her out from her dangerous posi- 
tion and anchored her in Friendly 
Cove. She was damaged very noticeably 
and from the very start she took in quite 
a deal of water. 

The next six days were spent in 
Friendly Cove — about the most 
dreary days I have spent in this worldly 
sphere. There were no Indians around, 
the weather was bad and everyone on 
board seemed dejected and downcast. 

However, we made a start for home on 
Friday — a week since w^e had entered 
Nootka Sound — a light, northerly breeze 
was blowing, hardly strong enough to 
move us out of the channel. AVhen the 
everlasting easterly (toochi) wind sprung 
up, it favored us for a time. At four 
o'clock p. M. we were off Hole-in the 
Wall, at the mouth of the great harbor. 
But the weather looked thick and the 
captain determined to "lay to" that 
night. I forgot to state that as soon as 
the vessel began to roll, her pumps were 
called into requisition every fifteen min- 
utes and an amount of water came forth 
each time. 

Meanwhile the Favorite was drift- 
ing southwest ; the wind increased as 
night ad\anced, and about ten o'clock 
the second mate came down, drenched 
with rain, and reported, for my consola- 
tion, that we were drifting to the south- 
west like a "bundle of straw." Later, 
at the shift of the sailors' watch, I over- 
heard a secret conversation which was to 
to the effect that, if they evergot into port, 
the sailors would abandon the vessel and 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



83 



get to town the best way they could, 
rather than stay on the leaking craft. 

Further details would be superfluous. 
Suffice it to say that for a whole week we 
were in a continuation of gales of wind 
and rain. The sailors were at the pumps 
day and night. The waves rolled right 
over the vessel . . . the mainsail was 
split to atoms. . . . 

At last a westerly wind came to our 
assistance, land was sighted and after 
sailing a full day before the wind we at 
last cast anchor in Hesquiat harbor. 
According to our captain's reckoning we 
had been blown a hundred miles from 
shore and out of our course. 

We had a fine Christmas — all the 
savages of this neighborhood were pres- 
ent, all the Christians went to Confession 
and those who had been accustomed to 
do so received Holy Communion. 

Close of 1888. — There, are now in 
Hesquiat only three or four families of 
real pagan Indians and a few old men 
and women. The rest of the settlement 
are Christians — some of them very fer- 
vent, the others less so ; yet always 
attentive at church and of good be- 
havior. 

1889. May. — The old chief Townis- 
sen, the father of Matlahaw, the would- 
be murderer, and who was accused, for 
plausible reasons, of having encouraged 
his son to commit the deed, died here 
the other day. The old man had a 
better chance than his son, who had died 
unbaptized and impenitent, to meet his 
Maker and Judge. For several years he 
had been a regular attendant at church, 
was an example to his subjects and was 
baptized and received all the rites of the 
Church before his death. R.I. P. 

August. — I built a new chapel in 
Friendly Cove for the Nootka Indians. 
I employed three Indians to help me. 
I did the carpenter work myself. The 
Indians made shingles and generally 
helped me to put up the building. It 
is a very neat structure, but the inside 
work is not finished for the want of 
lining. As soon as possible I assembled 



the people and baptized their newly- 
born children. I then left them for the 
winter season. As I was preparing my 
canoe to return to Hesquiat, most of the 
people made also arrangements to go up 
the rivers for the salmon season. 

1890.^ — I saw the Nootka Indians, 
stayed with them a short time and then 
went on a voyage to Europe — the first 
since my arrival in the country twenty- 
one years ago. 

Noveml)er. — I returned from the old 
country, where I had spent four months, 
and secured the necessary funds for a 
new church in Hesquiat. It was about 
time to move out of the old building, 
for it had become a complete wreck. It 
rained on my head as I was saying Mass, 
and the floor of the body of the build- 
ing was covered with water. It was the 
poorest church in Christendom. One 
of the fruits of my European voyage will 
be the possession of a better place for 
Divine Service. 

1 89 1, March. — Two French Canadian 
carpenters arrived here last month on the 
schooner Favorite, loaded with building 
material, in order to build our new 
church at Hesquiat. On account of the 
general boom in British Columbia the 
wages are very high, my men being paid 
three dollars and fifty cents per day 
(each) and their board. The plan of 
the new church was made by Stephen 
Donovan, of Victoria, but was consid- 
erably modified on account of lack of 
means to put up a building such as he 
had designed. 

October. — I understand that a young 
man representing the Presbyterian 
Church of Canada has taken up his resi- 
dence at Alberin, Barclay Sound, and 
has been introduced by the Indian agent 
to the natives of that district. 

1892. — Some of the Indians are not 
behaving as well as they ought to do. 
Their contact with the sailors on the 
leaking schooners has a bad effect. It is 
too bad that after all the trouble I have 
had a class of white men, who ought to 
know better, should excite them against 



84 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



me ; and yet only for my presence on 
the coast their life and jjrojjerty would 
not be safe. Satan has more than one 
means to pervert good people and hin- 
der the work of God from going ahead. 
In the present case so-called Christian 
white men are his chosen tools. 

July. — There is great excitement here 
since several days, and the old pagan 
people are exceedingly provoking It was 
known all along the coast that Antonin, 
the young chief here, and the son of Mat- 
lahaw, the would-be murderer, was sick 
and sinking fast of consumption. The 
young man, a good lad, was preparing 
for death as a Christian. Now the chiefs 
from the neighborhood sent medicine- 
men and medicine-women to tempt him 
and make him renounce Christianity and 
have recourse to the old superstitious 
practices. All their efforts were of no 
avail, and the young lad died after re- 
ceiving the last rites of the Church. He 
was buried in the cemetery with grand 
solemnity, but the old people objected 
and used every means to prevent it. 
Being defeated in this matter they insisted 
that the house of the young chief should 
be broken down and burned. This was 
always done in the case of anybody dying 
childless, especially if the departed was a 
chief. At first I objected, but as the 
aunt was willing to allow the movers 
to have their own way I withdrew my 
opposition. And so the young chief's 
house, which he had built and intended 
to occup) as soon as he was married, was 
torn down and burned on the beach. 
The Hesquiats have no chief again. The 
aunt of the departed boy will now be 
considered as occupying the dignity until 
her infant son becomes of age. 

February, 1893. — The Right Rev. 
Bishop Lemmens paid his first visit to 
the Indians of this district. As the 
Bishop had not given notice of his 
arrival, no reception was prepared for 
him. Most of the Indians were absent, 
but when they heard of the presence of 
His Lordship they all came to the mis- 
sion and on Sunday, January 29th, were 



all present at the blessing of my new- 
church in the morning and the blessing 
of the Stations of the Cross in the 
afternoon. 

As a piece of bad news the Bishop told 
me that the Methodists were preparing 
to put up a mission in Nittinat and had 
obtained a grant of five hundred dollars 
from the Dominion Government for 
missionary purposes. I'hey had asked 
and obtained the grant for the building 
of a school, but of course with them that 
also means a meeting-house or a church. 

December. — My people this year 
have had considerable sickness in the 
village and many deaths have occurred. 
It casts a gloom over the place. Other- 
wise the outlook is good. 

July, 1894. — During my absence a 
party of Indians from the State of Wash- 
ington came across the Straits of Luca 
with a supply of whisky which they in- 
tended to dispose of in Hesquiat. As 
soon as the presence of the liquor in the 
settlement became known, three of my 
Christian Indians went and took it away 
and secreted it in one of the rooms of 
my house. I reported this to the Indian 
Department and the men, who had acted 
so judiciously in confiscating the vile 
spirits, received each a reward of twenty 
dollars from the Dominion (iovernment. 

Very touching stories reached us from 
Nootka The Indians of this district, 
having refused my services as a priest for 
a lone time, are not as well instructed as 
thev might have been. They were not 
of real bad will, but the chief having lost 
his only child the whole tribe went in, 
mourning, the consequence being that 
they excluded not only their games but 
also the practice of religion. So that on 
one occasion as I presented myself I was 
told in the name of the chief, a true 
pagan and bigamist, that my jDresence 
was not required. Since then, however, 
they have sent for me and seem to be 
well disposed again, as I had occasion to 
notice when I visited them last. 

One of their young men, having 
been sick a very long time and feeling 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



85 



that his end was coming, seni for his 
nearest relatives. This is usual with all 
the Indians of this coast and the scenes 
tha-t are then enacted are sometimes 
most touching. 

The patient is duly prepared for the 
arrival of the visitors. One comes in 
after the other, the men stoically, the 
women with a sad face and a weeping 
voice, nod their heads to the patient; 
then when they are all seated they all 
begin to cry and lament and wail, 'i'he 
noise which they make as they all join in 
the songs of grief must be a torture to 
the dying relative, but it is meant as a 
compliment and it is taken as such ; it is 
a matter of pride and deep consolation 
to the living when not only near and 
distant relatives call, but especially if the 
chief and his subjects related to the 
patient extend a visit of condolence. 
After death it is always remembered who 
did and who did not call and the feeling 
of the living is good or bad toward their 
neighbors in accordance with the fact 
that they have or have not performed 
this act of etiquette. 

After a spell of crying and lamenta- 
tions speeches are made by the chiefs 
telling the patient to have a good heart, 
reminding him of his acts of daring and 
his success as a hunter, etc. , when all 
begin to retire, leaving only his nearest 
relatives to whom he expresses his last 
wishes, the disposition to be made of 
his worldly possessions and many other 
matters. 

In this present case the poor young 
fellow, after the above scenes and formal- 
ities had been gone through, being now 
left alone with his mother, his step- 
father and a half-brother, gave orders to 
count the money which he had still left. 
He had been a great sea-otter hunter 
and very successful, especially the last 
season. He then sent his half brother 
for a suit of new clothes which he put on 
— the Indians always put on to the dying 
their best clothes and blankets. Then 
he sent for another suit and under- 
clothes. The trader told me that he 



spent over one hundred dollars for 
wearing apparel in his place, and the 
orders of the dying man were that what 
he could not put on should be enclosed 
in the coffin or box in which his body 
was put for burial. 

It is a very curious custom, but in 
most cases the coffin of the Indians con- 
tains not only the body, but also a great 
many things dear to the dead one, such 
as clothes, toys, money, his own and 
also blankets presented for the purpose 
by his friends. His favorite dog is killed, 
his canoe split up, his watch or clock 
destroyed ; anything and everything that 
would remind the living of the dead rel- 
ative is done away with and gotten out 
of sight As noticed already, articles or 
parts of articles having belonged to an 
enemy are also very often enclosed with 
the body, the idea and belief being that 
such a proceeding will have the effect of 
causing sickness and death to an adver- 
sary . 

The other case referred to was that of a 
young man whose two little children had 
died before him. He evidently expected 
to join them in the next world, for shortly 
before his death he sent a messenger to 
the nearest trading station with orders to 
buy such and such toys, at one time dear 
to his little ones, and he ordered them 
placed in the coffin with his own body the 
moment his death would occur. 

This was an old practice and the fact 
that it existed before the arrival of a 
priest on this coast proves that the 
natives believed in a life after this life. 
Were they not ahead of some of our civ- 
ilized would-be scientists? 

1895. — Our Indians all over the coast 
are well disposed ; the jjcople of Hes- 
quiat, with the exception of some old 
men and women, being Catholics and 
most of them very exemplary. 

This being known seems to have ex- 
cited the Presbyterian and Methodist 
denominations, and their efforts to in- 
vade the coast are very pronounced. 
Now that the Indians are more than 
half civilized and are withal peaceable 



S6 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



and docile, the sects will come and give 
us trouble A monthly steamer now also 
visits the coast, as the government has 
established a Scandinavian settlement at 
Cape Scott, the northern end of the 
island, and bound itself to carry the 
mails and provisions once a month. With 
these facihties of travel and the peaceful 
behavior of the natives all along the 
co-ist, the zeal of the Protestant ministers 
has grown to the extent that they now 
have established themselves at different 
points on the coast. When a man's life 
was in danger and when the only means 
of traveling was an Indian canoe ; vvhen 
the mails reached us only once or twice a 
year . . . we were welcome to do alone 
the work of converting the natives ; but 
now with the present facilities and the 
absence of danger, the ministers come 
in sight to give us trouble and to pervert 
our Indian children. 

After mature reflection I made up my 
mind to propose to our Bishop a plan 
for his approbation. I would build in a 
central part of the coast an industrial 
school for boys and girls. 

August. — We had a retreat for the 
clergy last month. All the priests of the 
diocese were present. Before returning 
to my mission I spoke to the Bishop of 
the idea of a boarding-school for our 
children. His Lordship called on the 
Indian agent, who promised that he 
would obtain a grant for the support of 
the teachers and children from the Do- 
minion Government. Next I was sent 
for and this same agent urged me to put 
up the buildings at once, and said that 
as soon as the school was occupied a per 
capita grant would be available. 

Everything we asked for was promised 
by the agent, and so I returned to my 
mission, rejoicing in the thought that 
the efforts of the Protestant ministers 
would be unsuccessful. W we could 
keep the children from perversion, our 
])osition was safe. 

I am now sorry to put on record that, 
per letter from the head of our diocese, 
I was yesterday informed that I must 



abandon the idea of having a boarding- 
school which, in my mind, is the only 
means to save the fruits of my labors of 
more than twenty years. But, it is so! 
I must submit and be resigned to the 
regulations of the one who rules over me 
— my Bishop. 

1896. — A young man representing the 
Presbyterian Church is now stationed in 
Ahousat. He is a school teacher by 
profession, but he holds divine service 
on Sunday. He established himself be- 
tween two missions having a resident 
priest He will do nothing himself, but 
he will report as a credit to himself, any 
improvements these Indians will make, 
and yet all the credit will belong to the 
example of my i)eople in Hesquiat, and 
that of the Clayoquot tribe. And the 
poor little children so anxious to learn 
to read and to write will be perverted 
without noticing it. 

1897. — News has reached me that 
Bishop Lemmens died in Guatemala. 
So then we are again without a Bishop. 
It is reported that he died of the fever 
of that swampy country, where he had 
gone to collect funds for his new cathe- 
dral in Victoria. R.I. P. 

1898, February. — This year opened 
with sickness in the settlement. Whoop- 
ing cough was brought here by a family 
of visiting strangers. They were here 
several days and their children having 
the whooping cough communicated the 
dreaded disease to our children. I have 
my hands full just now. 

February 15. — To-day, after a spell of 
vain-glory, I feel terribly disappointed. 
Here are the details : The night before 
last I was called out about midnight to 
visit the child of a young couple. They 
wanted medical treatment for the cough- 
ing infant. It was a dark night but the 
sky was cloudless. So then I took my 
lantern, whistled for my dog and wended 
my way in the direction of the village. 
I noticed a light in some of the houses, 
for there was sickness in almost all of 
them. The wolves were howling in the 
distance, and the Indian dogs were bark- 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



87 



ing at the rising moon. The sea was 
breaking against the shore, but there was 
not a human soul to break the solemnity 
and the monotony of the midnight hour. 
Oh, what a wild, lonely country this is 
after all ! In the home I was impatiently 
expected ; the grandparents, four of 
them, and the young mother looked up 
to me with eyes full of tears. . . The 
child was very bad; the chest and lungs 
very much affected. I administered the 
usual remedies and returned home with 
the expectation of having another funeral. 
Yesterday I went over again; my patient 
was much better and likely to recover; 
this made me feel good and the thought 
of vain glory got the best of me. To-day 
I feel bad; the child is dead. This 
morning, as I went to church to ring my 
bell for Mass, I found under the bell- 
tower a small box containing all that was 
mortal of the dear little child whom yes- 
terday I prided myself on having treated 
and restored to health. 

April. — I lost a few days ago one 
of the most sensible and most pious per- 
sons it has been my fortune to have in 
my parish. This woman for several 
years refused to become a Christian and 
gave as a reason that she was afraid that 
she might be tempted and return to the 
old pagan practices. She was converted 
at last and from the day ot her reception 
in the Church by baptism she attended 
Mass every day of the week and was at 
church every Sunday twice. She had 
made her first Communion and was con- 
firmed ; and as her son was inclined to 
be wild and thoughtless she never ceaeed 
to warn him. Her last message to her 
family, was to remain faithful to and fol- 
low the instructions of the priest. She 
received the last sacraments and oh ! 
how touching it was to see her with her 
beads in her hands ; and when she could 
not speak any more raise up her hand 
and point her finger towards heaven ! 
The faith of those people and the trust 
they have in God at their last moments 
are worthy of all admiration. I have as- 
sisted many good people at the hour of 



death, but I have never been so much 
edified as when I assisted this good wo- 
man a few days ago. 

She was buried on Sunday morning 
at the parochial Mass. Her husband 
with his beads in hands said the prayers 
aloud, to which the rest of the people 
answered. I attempted to say a few 
words, but the sadness in the church was 
such that I broke down and cried with 
the rest. Such a scene of sadness and 
the feelings of sympathy expressed by the 
good people cannot be described nor even 
imagined by anybody who was not pres- 
ent at the funeral last Sunday morning. 
God rest the good Indian woman and 
may she pray for us ! 

May. — The rumor which reached us 
some time ago that we have a new lUshop 
proves to be true, for I have just received 
a letter from Rev. A. Christie, of Minne- 
apolis, inviting me to his consecration, 
which is to take place on June 29, in 
St. Paul, Minn. I know nothing about 
Father Christie. But I wrote a letter of 
congratulation to him and bade him wel- 
come to Vancouver. Beuedictiis qui venit 
ill nomine Domini, and ad iniiltos annos. 

August. — Bishop Christie was conse- 
crated in St. Paul, Minn , June 29th, and 
arrived in his new diocese on the 5th of 
August. He received a grand reception 
from the people and his presence made a 
good impression on them. 

With new courage and the prospects of 
an early visit to our missions by the new 
prelate, I returned to my house in Hes- 
quiat and began at once to prepare some 
of my people for Confirmation. 

1899. — I received a letter from Bishop 
Christie with this message: '' Come to 
Victoria at once. I want to consult with 
you about building a boarding school for 
the Indian children of the west coast. I 
have just returned from Ottawa and have 
obtained a per capita grant from the Gov- 
ernment for fifty children. If we do not 
accept the grant it will be given to one 
of the sects ; your children will be per- 
verted and you will lose the fruit of all 
your labors." 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



Since Bishop Lemmens had abandoned 
the idea of such a school, as I had pro- 
posed to him five years ago, I had never 
mentioned to him the advisability of the 
undertaking since that time. It must 
have become evident to the priests 
nearer to the Bishop than myself that the 
work was a real necessity for the salva- 
tion of our Indian children. 

In Victoria the good Bishop Christie 
explained all his plans. "But," said he, 
" Father, we have no money to do the 
work. However, let us commence at 
once, Deus pi^ovidehit. Return to the 
coast at the first opportunity, choose a 
central location and I will send up lumber 
and men to do the work." 

I went back a few days later and 
chose Clayoquot Sound as a location 
easily accessible to all the Indians of the 
coast. 

At the foot of a mountain in Decep- 
tion Channel I found and secured a large 
piece of table land open to pre-emption 
and away from all Indian settlements. It 
is fifty feet above the surface of a fine 
bay which at low water has a sandy beach 
of more than twenty acres — a magnificent 
playground for the children. It is also 
in proximity to another bay, a real clam- 
field, so that with a bay swarming with 
sahnon and other fish and a large field of 
clams, the expense of supporting the 
children will be considerably reduced and 
their health will be benefited, for all our 
people from their very infancy look upon 
fish as their main food and they acknowl- 
edge that without fish they cannot live 
and keep their health. 

A few days later I received another 
letter from Bishop Christie, announcing 
that he was to leave us and go to Port- 
land, Ore. . as the successor of Archbishop 
Gross. The Archbishop-elect now told 
me again to go ahead with the work, in- 
sisting that if the school was not built 
now it would never be built, and that 
either the Methodists or the Presbyterians 
would get our grant and use it to pervert 
our Catholic children. In the course of 
conversation afterwards His Grace told 



me tliat he had talked the matter over 
with his Vicar- General, and they had 
come to the conclusion that as soon as 
the work was well started 1 should go 
abroad to collect the necessary funds. 
"And," said he, "Father, let us gO' 
ahead ; the work of your life will be 
destroyed. It will be lost if we neglect 
this chance offered by the Government. 
We must put up the buildings and pay 
for them ourselves, but the Indian 
Department will by a generous yearly 
grant do the rest. I have ordered the 
lumber and the men will go up next 
month ; but when the buildings are 
up, you will have to go East and ask 
the good people out there to extend to 
us a helping hand. And, Father, do not 
be uneasy ; you will do well. The 
people out there do not know what you 
are doing for the salvation of souls ; I 
had no idea of it myself before coming^ 
here. Do not prepare any lectures, but 
speak to the people as you speak to us. 
. . . The priests will allow you to speak 
in their churches ; whatever you get 
from their people will not affect them. I 
have experienced that m) self when 1 was 
rector of St. Stephen's church in Minne- 
apolis." 

October. — Our school is now built. . . 

1874-1899. 

Twenty- five years have now elapsed 
since I first set foot on the western shore 
of Vancouver Island. When I first met 
the inhabitants of that desolate coast, they 
were savage, immoral and treacherous. 
Their dwellings were hovels of filth and 
misery; their attire a blanket of cedar 
bark, dog's hair or other inferior article; 
they were addicted to witchcraft and in- 
numerable superstitious practices. All 
alone in the wilderness, deprived of the 
company of friends or white men, with no 
mails except once or twice a year, I have 
spent many mournful seasons without 
seeing any encouraging results of my 
arduous labors. 

But God has been kind to me and has 
granted me the grace to persevere, and 



Vancouver Island and Its Missions. 



^■9 



has rewarded my labors by the conver- 
sion of many of my poor people. With 
Christianity, they have adopted civiliza- 
tion. The people immediately under my 
charge are now, as a whole, docile and 
law abiding. They have used their 
earnings to improve their material con- 
ditions. They have built neat and clean 
dwelling houses; they dress well, both 
men and women, after the fashion of 
civilized people; they are regular at 
church and at the Sacraments. Visitors 
are edified to see them at church and do 
not cease praising them for the spectacle 
they present when at their devotions. 
They look more like a congregation of 
white people than one of native Indians. 
It is to be regretted that now, when 
these people have so much improved by 
our instructions, outsiders should come: 
that Methodist and Presbyterian minis- 
ters should intrude and sow discord 
amongst them. Yet it was to be ex- 
pected, for it is their pride, not to 
civilize savage nations, but to pervert 
them, after the Catholic priests have 
converted them to Christianty, and sown 
the seed of civilization. Our case is not 



an exceptional one, but it is none the 
less saddening and jjainful. 

However, with the grace of God, no 
means will be spared to protect our 
people. It may have been rash on our 
part to put up for our dear Indian 
children, with the object that they may 
not be perverted, the buildings of a 
central boarding-school for which we 
have to pay, although we have not the 
means. But under the protection of 
St. Joseph, and with the assistance of 
St. Antony, we hope to be able to 
secure the necessary funds to pay for the 
work just completed, the Indian Board- 
ing School in St. Mary's Bay, Clayo- 
quot Sound, Vancouver Island. 

With the blessing of Archbishop 
Christie, and his best wishes of "God 
speed," I must now set out and ask the 
good Catholics of the Eastern States to 
extend a helping and generous hand to 
bring this work, in all probability the 
last of my life, to a successful issue. 
A. J. Brabant, 
Hesquiat, W. Coast, 

Vancouver Island, Canada. 

October, 1899. 



